Silentium: Simul
by DataTwoHearts
Summary: Second in the Silentium series. The Master has begun to bury his hatred away, having decided to travel with the man who he had been at war with for centuries now. Yet, the drums wont let him rest. He is trying to be Koschei once again. In honor of her memory. But one night, in the back streets of Cambridge, he hears silence and it kills him inside. Master/OC. Read Silentium first!
1. Forever is a Long Time

**Obligatory Disclaimer:** No ownership of _Doctor Who_ here. Sadly, I just write for the love of the series and my favorite Time Lords! If I did own them, Simm would never leave Tennant's side!

**Summery: **Second in the _Silentium_ series. The Master has begun to bury his hatred away, having decided to travel with the man who he had been at war with for centuries now. Yet, the drums wont let him rest. He is trying to be Koschei once again. In honor of her memory. But one night, in the back streets of Cambridge, he hears silence and sees piercing green eyes he thought he'd never see again. Master/OC. Rated M for violence, language and possible scenes. Read _Silentium_ first!

**Spoiler Alert:** Possible spoilers for the end of series six. The Doctor is traveling with his newest companion, the Master, for now. Possible spoilers for EoT, but if you've read the first story then nothing really new. Always spoilers for Theta/Koschei's past.

**Rating Warning: **Rated 'M' for the Master's and Keara's dirty mouth. Some drastic scenarios between characters including violence and some adult sexual scenes. Fair warning though, this story may contain some... fluff!

**Enjoy.**

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**Chapter One:**

_**Forever is a Long Time**_

_** Day four hundred and sixty-four.**_

The Master's rolled his shoulders, each joint cracking loudly as he stretched forward. The number seemed to be growing at an alarming rate in the back of his mind these day. It had been nearly one hundred days since he had turned his back on the one thing that had driven him for so long. Killing the Doctor, mainly.

Instead, he was traveling with the tosser! He had once had the Doctor within seconds of death and pulled away. Why? Not out of weakness. Not out of pity. No, not even out of compassion. The answer was simply really. The Master was greedy. He wanted, _craved_, the peace he had once experienced. Just four hundred and sixty-four days ago.

The Master craves _her_.

Suddenly, he bit his own tongue, pushing the thoughts away. _No!_ He told himself. He wouldn't allow that thought to plague him again. It was bad enough he counted the days, bad enough he suffered hallucinations, but he wouldn't pine over the reason too.

The Doctor had helped him though. Mental barriers blocked out the loudest portion of the drums. It was a low thump most days, a roaring inferno others.

The latter caused him pain, unimaginable and tormenting pain. To the point where he'd lock himself in the lower levels of the TARDIS. Trying desperately to control something that had for so long controlled him.

Today was one of those days. The Doctor knew better than to bother with him. For that, he was thankful. The drums screeched to life, pulsing so loud he couldn't hear anything else. They wanted to be feed. Death, destruction, governance. Anything to quiet them. But the Master wouldn't allow it. He was trying to change, he _had_ changed.

"Koschei?"

There it was again. The sounds of his insanity keeping him company in the middle of the night. How many nights had he woken to the sounds of her voice, he wondered. He hated it, just wished it would leave him alone.

He had actually been able to fall asleep for the first time in weeks. His sleep deprived body had finally won against his struggle with the drums. And he had slept in an utter state of bliss for the first time in a very long time. Yet now he had awoken, hearing the voice that seemed to fuel his already unstable mind.

_She _plagued the Master's thoughts.

He knew that he had very well lost any shred of sanity that remained. Any hopes that he had once harbored of ever finding peace had vanished completely, imploding when that damned ship had.

It had been like losing Ailla all over again. The Master cringed, rubbing the souls of his palms against his eyes. The last thing he needed was to starting thinking of that again. It wouldn't do to go thinking of either women now. Both were gone, so far outside his reach that it was devastating.

"Koschei," The voice carried throughout the Master's room. He laughed bitterly, thinking of how crisp and clear the voice sounded. His hallucinations were becoming better, he mused. More realistic. Further proof that he had finally taken that plunge off the deep end.

The Time Lord forced himself up, and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He had to get a grip on his mind. He couldn't allow the hallucination to win. Not again.

He was the Master. Gallifrey's most infamous son. Yet he had spent the last two years since _her_ death halfheartedly trying to form a plan to control the drums.

In truth, he spent most days wishing for the silence she used to bring him, missing the feel of her soft lips against his, or seeing her foolish lopsided smile every time he entered their room.

The Master spent a lot of time fighting away hallucinations brought on by sleep deprivation and starvation. The former wasnt his fault. Even though he was a Time Lord, the universe's greatest gift to life, he still had nightmares. More and more frequently now, they were no longer of Keara but repeats of nightmares he had once had on Gallifrey as a child.

The later was in fact his fault. The Doctor had more than enough supplies to sustain an entire planet twice over. Yet the TARDIS' kitchen was still bare in his eyes, still relatively untouched at the end of the hallway.

"Koschei, where are you?" The voice sounded louder now, just off down a corridor not far away. The Master stared blankly at the wall in front of him. Oh, this hallucination had to be the best yet! Even the drums had seemed to quiet down with this one. Nice touch, thought the Master bitterly.

With nothing but the sound of her voice to feel the gaps of silence, the Master could feel his anger boiling over. Why couldnt his mind just let Keara die? Was there a reason she haunted him? Was this his punishment for all his wrong doings?

The Master's head snapped towards the door to his room. Someone was wrenching at the knob, twisting it to no avail. He heard a very low 'humph' and everything became still once more. He heard the footsteps retreating now, heading off to another corridor. It was all he could handle.

The Time Lord didn't even bother to dress himself, instead pushing his way through the door in nothing but a pair of old trousers, worn with age.

Truly, he had missed the silence that Keara had given him. It had been killing slowly everyday that they sounded. She had taken them away for such a short time in his life but he had felt like he couldn't live without that silence when it had ceased. He needed her Quis to survive. Without it, he was just a broken, psychopathic Time Lord who wanted nothing more than the sweet embrace of death. Both his and that of others.

But her Quis' sudden departure wasnt the reason he had been so broken over the past year. It was because of Keara herself. He had grown so accustomed to her presence that once it was gone, he longed for it once more.

Love was never a word he would use. Only Koschei could love. The Master couldn't and it killed him to even think about it. He wouldn't even think of the word. Yet he had missed her to the point that his hearts ached to even think her name, let alone allow himself the luxury of envisioning her soft face.

Then there was the simple thought of what could have been. _Dominus_. The son that would never exist. Despite how much he had told himself that it didnt matter, Koschei had craved a son. A child, really.

Seeing Dominus dangled before him and then knowing that he no longer has the chance to exist... It ate away at him at night. His oh so brilliant son, a boy that reminded him so much of himself on Gallifrey would never be a reality.

It was an odd feeling, far worse than the drums. It was as if he couldn't fill the need in his mind and stomach. It hurt worse than the sound of drums. It caused him countless nightmares. And something other than the drums had taken residence in his mind now. Something far, far worse than the drum's plague. Worse than anything Rassilon could ever have placed on him. It was horrible. A burden for him alone to bare. He was left with...

With a conscious, no less.

It wasnt long before the Master stood in the console room, glancing about the interior of the TARDIS. He knew following the voice would lead him nowhere, but it had made the drums lower their tempo some. In the end, that's all that had mattered.

"Master?"

The Time Lord glanced up, locking eyes with the man across the room. The Doctor's glance was calculating, deciding whether or not to press his friend. They may have had a truce but they were a long way off from what they had been on Gallifrey.

"Are you alright?" The Doctor's kept his tone even, trying not to betray the concern that he held. The other man just nodded lightly, so much so that the Doctor nearly missed it. He sucked in a deep breath, holding his tongue. He knew the Master was lying. One glance into his brown eyes and he could see the pain behind them. "Right then."

The Doctor took a sip of his tea, but neither man moved much more than that. Other than the occasional sound of the TARDIS' engines, there was no noise. The Doctor's companions, still Amy and now her husband, Rory, were sleeping somewhere aboard, completely oblivious to the Master's condition.

Again, it was a strange feeling. The Master being indifferent to them. Not mean, but certainly not treating them as the apes he saw them once. Perhaps it was for the sake of the Doctor, or maybe it was because he was trying to redeem himself. Whatever it was, the Master was civil with the Ponds.

Even in the beginning of his travels with the Doctor, he had tried. He knew he could never be Koschei again, not without his Quis. But he was trying.

The Doctor's gaze had not drifted away from his fellow Time Lord. Honestly, the Master didn't care for the pity he saw but he didn't turn it away. It was that very pity that had saved him. If the Doctor's empathy wasnt so great, he would be dead at the hands of his supposed Dalek ally.

_"We both carry the fire, that has the power to end life. But what I do with that flame is what separates our types."_

The Doctor's words echoed clearly in the Master's memories. He couldn't remember truer words. They were both two of a kind. Geniuses in their own respective rights. Both so capable of death and dominance. But the Doctor, that sainted physician, he knew how to control himself. He knew how to be almost _human_.

The word brought a smile to the Master's features. The first genuine one in months. And the Doctor took note of this but didnt question the reasoning behind it. He was afraid words would make it disappear. But the Master was lost in his own mind, the drums lower only slightly, while he thought of how close they both had been to death.

_"You know it isn't too late to end what seems impossible," The Doctor's words were so pleading to his fellow Time Lord, to his once long ago friend. They both knew it _was_ too late to become what they once were, but the Doctor would never accept that fact. He wanted nothing more than to save Koschei. _

_"Even though we aren't the same," The Master mumbled, battling with his drums. His one mission in all his lives had been to kill the Doctor. He was so close! So very, very close. His death was at hand, yet he couldn't enjoy it._

_ "Why don't you hop into my ship," He offered whole heartedly. The Master could see the genuine expression on his face, the familiar mirth in his eyes. His double pulse seemed to nearly slow as he studied the other's features. No mocking, only more pleading to be shown in his eyes._

_ "WE WILL SETTLE THIS FOREVER," The Daleks voice cut through both men's thoughts, though neither looked away from each other._

_ "We can travel time," The Doctor whispered, "Together."_

_ "Yeah, we can settle this," The Master replied through gritted teeth. "Forever."_

Forever is a long time. Even for a Time Lord. And even though the thought of being the Doctor's prisoner was still fresh in his mind, the Master couldnt refuse his offer. He was sick of it all. Sick and tired of the death and destruction that followed him. That was why Keara was gone.

His small, momentary smile melted away instantly. Again, the Doctor took note.

"Care for some tea?" The Doctor asked in a quiet, concerned tone. The Master just shook his head, not daring to trust his voice for fear it would betray him. "Master, please, you barely eat or sleep. The least you could do is avoid dehydration."

"I'm fine," It came out as an angered growl. He knew he was taking out his anger on a man who was honestly trying to help him. But if there was someone who could take a verbal beating and still give his life for you, it was the Doctor.

"Alright, alright! Cant be mad a guy for trying," The Doctor's joking tone didn't carry. Though he tried to muster a smile, it never reached his eyes. The Master sighed heavily, finally giving in.

"If it'll make you shut up," but before he could finish, the Doctor was already handing him a cup. The Master gave him an annoyed look.

"I was hoping you'd join me," The Doctor shrugged, taking another pull of his own tea. He could have sworn he heard the Master mutter a Gallifreyan curse under his breath, something like "Sepulchasm"but let it go for the sake of civility. It was rare that they could be in the same room without the fear of danger or their voice raised in argument.

"Are we going to drop the kiddies off on Earth soon?" The Master casually asked.

"Most likely. They need a break every so often, you know," His reply was just as casual. "The TARDIS is acting up though. I think she needs to be refueled."

"Hmm," The Master didn't have much interest in the TARDIS' workings anymore. At first, he had tried everything to get the Doctor to let him fix up the old type forty, but he wouldn't have any of it. The most brilliant mind alive in the universe and he wasnt even allowed to fix a stupid Chameleon Circuit!

"Jack's team has set up a base in America," The Doctor continued, speaking of his old companion Jack Harkness. "Somewhere in New England. _New_ England! Can you believe that? As if there was something wrong with the _old_ England! Well, I suppose what with the oppression and poverty and such... But to name something _New_ when there's still an Old-"

"Make your point and quit your damn rambling!" The Master's voice wasnt loud, but rather stern. The Doctor wasnt really fazed by it too much. The only thing it successes in doing is causing the Doctor to redirect his rant.

"Right, well, he wants me to stop by. Sent me a message on the psychic paper a few days ago! Says he may have a lead on River too," It was the Doctor's turn to grow quiet, fearing his voice would leave him. The Master gave him a consoling glance. What day was it for him since he'd last seen River? _Has to be close to four hundred by now_, the Master thought.

Sure, the Doctor had his companions. Amy and Rory came and went. He had had a brilliant batch of others, including one he had truly, truly cared for. Faldora, a well-keeper in training from a planet that the Master would rather forget about. But none like River. The Master, though never one to sympathize, knew what the Time Lord was going through more than he knew.

"Right then," The Master pushed himself away from the rail he was leaning against and headed straight for the controls. "I need coordinates, and a time zone."

"Earth, 42-22-25! North 71-06-38 West! October, 2012," The Doctor was excited to see the Master willing and able to help out. Another rarity, to see the Master outside of his own little world, and so ready to be with others, even if it was only because it was the Doctor. It was a small victory, but a victory none the less. "To the Hub of the Universe!"

"Excuse me?" The Master nearly laughed, hearing the words. Earth? The Hub of the Universe?

"Come on, the Hub! Bean Town?" The Doctor smiled widely, receiving a blank face from the Master. "Cambridge, Massachusetts! America in all its glory! Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses of homo-reptilians with perception filters!"

"I don't think that's how it goes, Doctor," It was Amy to chime in, rubbing the side of her head and stifling a yawn. It was clear she had just woken up.

"Noo, it isn't," The Doctor admitted, running his hands over the controls, "It would have been though, if they'd listened to me! _New Colossus_ is far too pretentious to be a city's motto! It's completely... Icky!"

"Icky?" The Master and Amy asked at the same time.

"Yes! For lack of a better word, icky," He replied, earning a laugh from his female companion.

"Whats with all the noise?" Rory seemed just as groggy as Amy, proving that both had just roused themselves out of bed.

"The Doctor was just astounding us with his brilliant vocabulary," Amy joked, wrapping her arms around her husband's shoulders. Rory replied in turn, letting out a loud yawn of his own. "Right then, Doctor, where are you dragging us off to this time?"

"America!"

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**Author's Note:** So I'm back! Yes, I know. You were terrified you'd never see our heroine and hero again! Well, give it a while! The story is about to pick right back up and throw you for a loop! I'm so excited. This is set after _The Wedding of River Song_ but before the start of series seven. It is AU but could still be considered canon.

If you confused as to why the Master is traveling with the Doctor, go back and read the epilogue of _Silentium._ It'll explain everything. Plus, I'll go into more detail of what exactly happened after Jack saved the Master. Later, of course.

I really wanted do a fluff story, but obviously, the Master is not fluffy. And I don't really ever write fluff pieces. But this will be a little less on the dark side of fanfic and more humor and romance. Sorry, I'm just so bloody excited to be back to work after so long away from all of this! Time to let my Bad Wolf out!

Any who, sorry this A/N is so long... **Reviews** would be VERY appreciated! You know they're my muses and I love you for them. Or just a nice PM.

**NEXT CHAPTER: **Too Many Nights


	2. Too Many Nights

**Obligatory Disclaimer: **Back for round two! It's so nice to return and with full ownership of all _Doctor Who_ related things... Kidding, of course. I do not own any thing Whovian in nature besides this story. Meaning I don't own the Master but I do own our leading lady, Keara Ashland.

**Good To See Everyone Again:  
****SawManiac211: **It's so nice to see you again! But where, oh where are your stories?  
**Pattibon: **I'm serious when I saw that you're one of the main reasons I even had the inspiration to write at all. So thank you for all your help! This chapter is for you, love!  
**TheDoctorsMistress: **I was actually going to wait until Halloween but decided against it since I was going to be really busy either way.  
**TheWickedHeart: **Ehehe. Thank you!  
**Neko Noke: **I will get to the fluff! I promise. But you must endure some serious angst first.  
**ClinicallyInsaneKoschei: **Yes, we can. Give it a few chapters.  
**Superwhoavegelock: **Yay! I'm back! And yes, there will be fluff. Everyone just be patient with me. I'm new at this...

**Enjoy.**

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**Chapter Two:**

_**Too Many Nights**_

** Day one thousand, one hundred and ninety-five.**

"Why am I always so alone?" She asked herself, wondering the same thing she always did. She was so alone. Not in the sense that she had no one around her. Quite opposite, for the room was filled to capacity. Faces so recognizable in her eyes. They looked at her. Their eyes held contentment. They enjoyed her company. They enjoyed her. They were there for her. To celebrate her thirty-third birthday.

If they only knew how much she loathed them. How much she despised everyone in that room. The ones she knew, the ones she didn't. She didn't care. It was as if the could all be wiped from the planet, and she wouldn't even bat an eyelash. No tears. Perhaps an ironic laugh, for she would truly be alone.

The Master is the reason.

Too many people around to hate. A club. She was at a bleeding night club. Back to her old job as assistant DA, weeks from a promotion, and she was out at a night club! But as she put more thought into it, she always ended up here. To please them, to make her fake smile more believable.

With eyes that did not conceal her hatred, Keara watched the lower level workers of her beehive dancing to a song she couldn't stand. She, on the other hand, sat at her table, by herself and drained another glass of straight Jack Daniels. Perhaps with enough liquor she could pretend to enjoy herself.

But she never got drunk. The Quis, something she no longer considered a parasite but rather an extension of herself, it wouldn't allow her body to absorb the liquor, unless it was in such amounts that would normally kill a human.

With a sigh, Keara glanced about the room for something to hold her interest. A man eyeing her, lust in his eyes. A woman, settled next to the man, jealousy in hers. Beside them, a couple of men dressed in baggy clothing were also staring. It wasnt uncommon.

Keara would not lie simply out of modesty. She had changed quiet a bit recently, and she enjoyed her new features. Still short, but with legs for miles. A thin waist, with luscious curves. Long, black hair that made her eyes sparkle, the green in them becoming almost emerald at times, though mostly dimmed with sadness no one ever seemed to notice.

_I am beautiful, but only human... _

Across the way, another man stares. He's no different from the others in the room. There were other on lookers, none Keara will ever care for. There would always be. Yet there would never be another one like the one she'd had. Her mind wont let her think of _him _except in small seconds of weakness, but _he _still affects her.

It was her birthday, October 28th, 2012. She is actually thirty-three, but everyone wishes her a happy thirty-second birthday. No one knows of the year she lost, imprisoned somewhere off world. They'd think her mad if she were to mention anything like that. It didn't matter though. She had come to hate her birthdays. She had never had a good one. They were just a constant reminder of the loneliness that rots her very being. Thirty-three birthdays. Coming and going. Never a happy ending. Never anything that she wanted to remember.

Three years before she'd been happier than she had ever been. That birthday, though spent with a murdering maniac and she hadn't even realized it _had _been her birthday, that birthday had been better than anything she had ever experienced. She'd felt whole for the first time ever. The ultimate birthday present set in her lap. Keara had been happy.

But it hadn't lasted. For Keara, it never did. Even then, as she sat in that over heated club on a freezing autumn's night, she could feel the tears wanting to be shed. _H__adn't I cried them all out already? Was there still tears left in there? _Even if she did have them, she wouldn't cry.

_Too many nights have I cried. Too many times have I thought life isn't worth living. Too many damned, lonely nights with nothing but my thoughts and memories to keep me company. Sometimes, I wished I had died on the damned ship._

"Looks like you could use another, pet," Her eyes widened as she look up to see Morris, a friend from the office, standing there with two glasses in his hand. She hated hearing that name. No one was allowed to call her 'pet'.

"Sod off, git," Keara snarled, throwing him a hateful glance. Morris seemed shocked at her brash words and so was she. Anymore, she never allowed her anger to get the best of her. "I'm sorry. I've just got a headache."

"Sorry, I didn't know," He replied, setting the glass down in front of her. She did not reply. With a heavy sigh, he looked away, "Enjoy your drink then."

"You bought me a drink," Her voice was steady and she forced a smile to her lips, even if he couldn't see it. It was obvious fake but he didn't know that. "Not going to make me drink it alone, are you?"

"Now, that wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me, would it?" He replied, taking his seat across from Keara. He stared at her, his eyes searching over her face and body and she had to stop her scowl from forming. "Why are you alone? I mean, this is your birthday party, isn't it?"

"Yes, well," Keara shrugged, feeling the emotions rolling off of him. The Quis had become much more in tuned with people as of late, able now to read more than just their pain. Keara could tell Morris was feeling aroused, his gaze locked with her cleavage. "I'm not much of a party person."

"That's too bad, really," He stated as he took a long pull of his drink. She shrugged again, not really wanting to indulge in conversation with him. He looked her over once more, the Dutch courage taking over. "You know, we could go back to my place and have a little party of our own."

She raised an eyebrow, trying her hardest not to laugh in the man's face. She had heard quite a few pickup lines since returning to the real world but that had to be the stupidest one yet.

"Thank you, Morris. I appreciate the offer," Keara replied. Morris eyed her curiously, and she could feel his apprehension for her answer. "But I have a severe headache and think I'm going to head home."

"Alright then," He replied casually and before she could say anything else, he had already headed over to another woman, no doubt using a similar strategy. It made Keara sick to her stomach watching men like him. Yet, she knew that at one time she hadn't really been any better. She had never been looking for love back then, only a good time.

Keara grabbed her coat and handbag, not even bothering to say goodbye to anyone. She headed for the door and breathed a huge sigh of relief as she stepped outside. She began her trek back to her home. It was always a long walk but it gave her a chance to clear her head.

That's where she found herself this time. Walking through the nearly deserted walkways of Fort Washington Park, much past the legal time. She wasnt afraid of being attacked. She no longer cared if she lived or died. Honestly, she craved death and the miserable weather of the night seemed perfect for it.

Cold grabbed at her skin and caused her teeth to chatter. She wondered for a moment if she should just lay down. After all, she was cold, and tired, and lonely. Perhaps a cold, tired, lonely death was fitting. To just be buried beneath the snow, only to be found when it melts away.

Of course, she was too prideful to allow herself to die that way. So she kept trudging. Onwards through the blinding white of the snowy night. Her thoughts were a million miles away, with a man that may not even be in the same year as her. Or on the same planet either. He could have been an entire universe away and her thoughts would still be with _him_.

_How pathetic am I?_

There was no attention to the path she was taking. Originally, she had cut through the park on her way home as a shortcut. But so lost in the silence that came with it, she no longer paid mind to the surroundings. It wasnt until she noticed an oddly familiar shape in the distance that she even formed a thought. It was big, bigger than her. There was a light on top. For a moment, she didn't know why it had struck her. She had no idea what it was, except that it seemed to be out-of-place.

Keara made her way towards it, finally able to make out its contours. _A phone box?_ A bloody phone box in the middle of the park! Oh, she had finally gone completely off the deep end!

_My self-pity has finally driven me to hallucination of the bloody TARDIS! I'm completely mental!_

Her pace picked up and finally, completely out of breath, she was standing before it. But it wasnt the TARDIS. Just an old, gray phone booth that didn't even appear to be in use anymore. Her hands roamed the outside of the gray box. It was strange, but comforting at the same time. Like it knew she was seeking companionship, seeking some form of sanity even after all this time. Yet, she felt utterly pitied.

Rage ripped through her, as though this inanimate object was judging her. Her temper flared. Her hands pounded against the side of the box, not even leaving a scratch. With all her anger pouring out, she slammed into the gray box over and over, until it hurt to even move. Tears that had been blocked away now flowed so freely that it scared her. Shook her to the point that all she could do was cry, and slam her hands against the wood.

Eventually, after this continued for quite some time, she grew exhausted. Keara sunk to the ground, still sobbing silently. She knew it was hard to let go of things. There were no delusion of Time healing these wounds though. But in all three decades of her existence, she had never had the things she'd had with the Master.

Yes, her life had been in constant danger, but she was in love. Unconditional, irrevocable love. Growing up as an orphan, she had never known that. Didn't think it was possible until the Master... Until Koschei. The Master hadn't always been the ideal person to be with. He had been cold, cruel, and had more often than not made her cry. She didn't know at the time why she had felt so attracted to him. Even now, she barely understood it. There wasnt any way of rationalizing it. There didn't need to be.

Keara's heart felt empty without his touch. She wasnt complete without his hard scowl. She didn't have to explain it to anyone, not even herself, mainly because she couldn't. It was just that way with him and her. Even if he had never felt that way, she knew she loved him with every inch of her being.

And in the back of her mind, Keara was sure he had felt the same way.

She nearly threw herself backwards into the snow, landing with a thud. Her coat almost instantly soaked up the snow around her. Not that it mattered, the snow was falling so hard that it had already done most of that job. It was one of the worse winters in the history of the city, which was saying a lot for Cambridge.

With a heavy sigh, she fought to make up her mind. On one hand, she could in fact go with her earlier idea and lay down to die. Cold, alone, and miserable. On another hand, she could fight. Keara already knew what she'd do. Even if she desperately wanted to lay there and die, the Quis would make the process so hard that it barely seemed worth the effort.

Despite knowing that the night was growing later, and that she had work in the morning, she continued to lay there. Staring up at the night sky, no stars shining past the clouds, the moon just barely visible. The wind howled, but no other noise pierced her ears. She couldn't remember a night so quiet inside the city.

Perhaps, she thought, Time would help eventually. Though three years had passed, the pain still felt as though it would rip her apart. But she had the Quis. Which meant she could live for centuries. In a hundred years, where would she be?

_Will I have found someone to dry my tears? Forgotten all about Koschei, completely? Will I be in love and be married with children to keep me company?_

But her thoughts quickly turned on her as she remembered what the Doctor had once said._ "__Dont worry about that. The Quis is attached to you alone. It wouldn't be passed to your children." _Which meant as they grow old, and die off, Keara would remain still. Looking like she did the day of her twentieth birthday.

Tears stung her eyes again. It seemed they would not be leaving her this night. She forced herself to stand, not even bothering to fight the tears this time. She took one last glance at the phone booth, bitterly scowling at and then down at her hands. Her knuckles were covered in blood, and cuts filled with chips of wood. Splinters dug into her flesh and she cringed as she pulled out the most obvious ones. This pain was nothing compared to what she normally endured.

As if on cue, pain ripped through her. She gasped, grabbing onto the wooden box for support. This new round of pain was bad, though minor compared to what it had been in the past. The scars on her back, four long, talon-made scars, burned.

Anger suddenly seemed to pound at her, syncing perfectly to the her heartbeat as it pounded heavily in her chest. Fury directed squarely at herself. She was allowing the Master to hold so much control over her even though she knew he couldn't care less about her. Everything between them had been forced. Their meeting, their companionship, even their last few moments together before the ship's implosion. More pain. Worse than she had felt all day. It burned away all thoughts as the fire spread through her limps and through her mind. It was all she could do to hold herself up.

Keara couldn't stop the shout as another wave rocked her body. She had to brace herself against the booth with all her might to hold herself up. Her knees would give out any moment. Angry tears and pained ones alike streamed down her face as she fought to gain some control over her body. Throwing her head back, she bit her bottom lip until it bleed to stop the screams. It didn't stop with two, it didn't cease with three waves. It felt like hours, though in truth it was probably less than ten minutes. Wave after wave of pain set her body ablaze.

When the last bit of pain subsided, and the haze of it all left her, she felt her knees give out finally. The only reason they had held her so long was because she had locked them firmly in place. She hit the ground. Hard. Her face collided with the grass, hardened by ice to the point it was like glass. The soft skin of her cheek cut on the hard icy ground. She didn't move.

Keara laid there, face first in the snow, sobbing.

_This is the Aquincum's Scar._

Dominus' voice was so loud in her mind. He had saved her, but at what cost? To be in pain, both mentally and physically? And to what ends? Keara couldn't find the Master. It was like he and the Doctor had never existed! If she couldn't find him, then Dominus would never exist! So why save her?

There was no telling how long she had laid there, but when she finally managed to gather the strength to move, the moon had dipped well behind the clouds. Her body was nearly numb from the cold but at least her face and knuckles had stopped bleeding. It wasnt far from her flat now, for that she was thankful.

Keara peeled away her soaked jacket, tossing it next to the phone booth beside her and didn't give it a second thought as she forced one foot in front of the other. There was no need for it now.

The streets were empty as she weaved between the roads and alleyways towards her apartment. Such a bitter cold night, no one in their right mind would be out so late... Then again, Keara hadn't been in the right mind in years. She managed to smile to herself, turning down the all too familiar alleyway which lead to her flat, finally getting her tears under control.

As she slowed down, searching her handbag for her mobile to check the time, something caught her attention. She turned her head, looking the direction of the park that was just across the road. It looked abandon, of course. A smile formed and a small tear escaped, but that was all as she stared at the empty park. Keara didnt linger on the thought long, instead shoved the door to her apartment building open and raced upstairs for some much needed rest.

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**Author's Note:** I know I said I get away from the dark side of story telling but, hey, give me a break. These first two chapters needed to reflect their emotions when regarding one another's memories. Things will pick back up. Next chapter will be all worth it. As River would say, spoilers! *Wink* More things will be explained along the lines of Jack's rescue of the Master. And hopefully will lead into what everyone is waiting for. But I can say no more! You'll just have to wait until next week, my lovelies! Remember to **review**!

**NEXT CHAPTER: **The Silence Screamed


	3. The Silence Screamed

**Obligatory Disclaimer: **Hello, sweeties! I doubt this really needs to be sad once again. I mean, I did post one of these in every single chapter in the last story Haha. Well, if you havent already guessed it, I do not own _Doctor Who_ or any of the characters. The only thing about this story is ninety-five percent of the plot and Keara Ashland!

**Quick A/N: **Right, so, sorry about my lack in updates lately. Friday, when I had planned to sit down and write a new chapter, I was in a car wreck and got a concussion. So I decided to wait until my head was a little less foggy! I've spent the last five days or so just messing around on Tumblr and taking it easy. Hopefully, this makes up for it! Allons-y!

**WARNING:** Slight language and some violence. Nothing extremely bad!

**Enjoy.**

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**Chapter Three:**

_**The Silence Screamed**_

** Day four hundred and seventy.**

They were running again. It seemed like there was always running to do with the Doctor. Of course, it couldn't be helped. Trouble had found them, as it always did. It was nothing new, but still and always exciting. New adventures but still the same perils.

The Master is beginning to enjoy it.

Sure, his problems were always pressing, always nagging him in the back of his mind. Yet, he still had found some pleasure in it. For once, he was not what the Doctor was running from and this made his mind find some level of peace. Newly found peace in his newly found identity.

Jack Harkness had finally gotten his American Torchwood base set up and running, fully equipped, fully manned with an entirely new crew of green hands. And fully in danger already.

Ice Warriors. A nasty race of creatures with a nasty temper and a furious hatred for all things humans. Despite the Time Lords repeated explanations that they were, in fact, _not_ human, they didn't much care. Perhaps it was more of a hatred for humanoid creatures, the Doctor mused. Regardless, just moments after arriving at the North American Torchwood base, trouble had found the TARDIS crew in the form of Ice Warriors.

Long ago, they had taken up of vow of peace against the Earth and humans amongst the Universe. But Time changes all creatures, and there are always a few bad apples who enjoy causing an uprising. The Doctor, both in his second and third lives, had dealt with them. This time was different though. They were so much more angrier than he remember and so, _so _much more advanced. Weapons, and brains had evolved in the last few centuries.

Snow fell like rain, relentless and frozen. It blinded everyone. Including the Time Lords. To the point where the entire group had been separated. The Doctor, Amy and Rory had made a quick left down an alley way not long after the chase had begun, leaving the Master and the Captain to fend for themselves.

_Great. Stuck with Captain Freak_, thought the Master as soon as he had realized the situation. Backs pressed against a brick wall, Jack struggled for breath. The chilly midnight air seemed to suck the life right out of him. Even the Master, who had by-passed his lungs a while back, was beginning to feel the fatigue settling in.

They had been running for what? Three hours now. The Ice Warriors seemed unaffected though. Their energy seemed limitless. For the immortal man and the Time Lord, they were not near so lucky.

"We've got to stop running and take the offense, damn it!" The Master hissed, still trying to catch his breath.

"Oh! I'm just waiting to hear your amazing plan, _Master_," Jack spat the man's name like it was venomous just to say. Obviously, old wounds were not healed between either of them.

"I believe it was you who said you knew how to handle them, _Captain_," He retorted just as bitterly.

"That was before they blind sided us with a bomb and phaser guns!" Jack nearly shouted the words before quickly clamping a hand over his mouth. They were supposed to be hiding. Shouting wouldn't do, even if it made him feel slightly better about the situation at hand.

"Separate."

"What?" Jack's attention snapped up to lock eyes with the man beside him. Upon seeing the serious look in his eyes, he cringed. "Are you trying to get us killed?! If we separate, we're easy pickings!"

"And if we stay together, you slow me down! Besides, I highly doubt you're enjoying my company that much," The Master mocked in deep sarcasm.

"Absolutely not-"

"TIIME LORD AND HHUUMAN LOCATED!" The voice was as cold as the ice around them. Low and gravelly, thick with malice and rage.

"Shit," The Master grumbled under his breath. Before Harkness even had time to react, the Master was already on his feet again, sprinting as fast as he could in the opposite direction of the voice. The Ice Warriors were not nearly as light on their feet as the Time Lord. Jack, though, was.

"You're not leaving me behind as bait!"

"Go away, freak!"

"Hell no!"

With a low grumble in his throat, the Master didn't press the matter any further. The two men's feet fell in rhythm together now, trying their best not to slide on the ice beneath their feet. There was much more than he had suspected for early November. The streets were near empty due to the chill in the air. The only thing the Master could hear was the sound of his breath struggling for air and the pound of the drums in his ears.

Occasionally, they'd pass someone, oblivious to the perils that was happening all around them. But both men knew they wouldn't be bothered. The Ice Warriors may hate all humanoids but they had a mission for the moment. The Time Lords and their companions were their objective. The apes were not even a second thought as they ran for their lives.

Both men made a sharp left around a corner, both still able to hear the Ice Warrior's foot steps behind them, closing in slowly. They couldn't keep running forever, the Master wanted to scream. He had to come up with a plan. He had to survive. He always survived. No damn insignificant warrior was going to endanger that!

Another corner. Left. Right. Right. Left. Left. Left. Right. Right. Left. He was making so many twists and turns that Jack was having a hard time keeping up. Of course the Master didn't care. He may have been trying to change but Captain Freak could handle himself.

More twists. A few more turns. Until neither the Time Lord nor Jack could hear footsteps chasing them. Both panted as they slowed, slower and slower until they were little more than jogging. Finally, the Master decided to allow himself to rest. He practically threw himself against a wall for support, breath ragged. Despite the subzero weather, sweat drenched his brow.

"I think we've lost them," Jack stated between his own gasps. He was in even worse condition than the Master. The other man couldn't reply, only nodding in response. It was true. No footsteps slapping against the cold snow. No shouts in the darkness... No sound at all.

The Master's head snapped up, realization suddenly dawning on him. Jack noticed right away, seeing the Master going from struggling to breathe to entirely breathless in one quick moment.

"What is it?" Jack hurriedly questioned, taking in his surroundings. "Is something out there?"

"Yeah," The Master whispered, fists balled and shaking. The pause was so long that Jack didn't think he was going to get anymore of an answer. But he did, albeit so low he barely heard it. "Silence."

The silence screamed its message. Then real screams could be heard.

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Keara made her heartbeat and breathing slow, and her limbs were becoming cold and tingling at the same time. Sounds around her seem to become magnified, then faded, leaving her floating, with no feeling of flesh or blood or thought. Into the shared mind, both her own and the Quis, instinctively as she had trained herself to go.

She did what was needed now. For her own sanity. Like a great pulsing black hole, the sound of drums sucked all alternatives within itself. She could not see beyond that. She wanted no more foreknowledge; her mind was reeling. Yet, she was finding the strength to allow them to enter her mind. As she stood there, her back pressed against the wall of that all too familiar alleyway, new waves of that four-beat tattoo sprouted, then drifted away almost tangentially. It was enough, sadly. Enough to draw tears for the second time in a matter of days.

Pushing back the thoughts of the flickering possibilities, she pushed herself off the cold stone and back into her physical body once more. It was like she was finding her eyes for the first time, and forced them to open. The numbness drained away from her limbs slowly and the wind tickled her face with strands of hair that almost didn't feel real. She could see the moon, high and position unchanged. When the tingling had gone, she forced her feet to move once more, though only a few feet.

Keara brought her fist to eye level and slowly opened her stiff fingers. She had clutched them so hard, that the blood had been forced from her hand, turning her knuckles a pale white. She sighed, trying to push the memory out of her mind. It was the first time since _his_ departure that her mind had actually tricked her into hearing the drums. But she doubted it would be the last.

Silently, gingerly, she took several steps down the alley again, forcing herself to head towards that empty flat that she referred to as a home. She had perhaps made it a third of the distance down the alley when a hand came down firmly from behind her on her right shoulder. Reflexively, she ducked down and threw an elbow back. She felt it connect with something _hard_. Crouching down, and scrambling away, Keara pulled her hair away from her face.

Her would-be attacker was bent over, just slightly, clutching his stomach. _Corrections! _Its _stomach! _She told herself. Three green, almost scaly _things_ stood before Keara. Two, the same height as her, matching green helmets covering their faces. Behind them was roughly the same creature, only dwarfing her five to one.

A lump formed in her throat as she stared at the piercing black eyes that stared back her. Anger, rage, and disgust rolled off of all three of them, feeding the Quis. But Keara doubted that even with her abilities she would be handle three hostile aliens.

"Youu are not huuman," The one Keara had elbowed stated, eyeing her closely.

"I'm about as human as they come," Keara stammered, trying to find that brave face she had had so long ago aboard Sabas' ship. "Just another ape wondering about."

"No. Youu are diffferent," It confirmed, its voice monotone. It's head cocked to the side as it gracefully slide towards her, "Youu are diffferent indeeeed."

"Flattering will get you everywhere," She gulped, still struggling to find her courage.

"Iccce Lord Izlyr will want youu returned to ouur planet for ssstudy," The creature's words were drawn out, almost like a low hiss. "Do not be ssscared youung one. After ssstudy, youur death will beee quick."

"Gee, thanks," Keara rolled her eyes, her fear shrinking slightly despite his words.

"Youu will come with usss now," The other creature, the one Keara had elbowed, now spoke.

"Yeah, uh, no. Sorry but I've got work in the morning, git and I can't miss another day," Keara replied sarcastically, backing away slowly.

"Youu give usss no choicce, youung one. Youu will be puut to death ssshould youu resissst," The two said in unison. As if those were the magic words, the hulking brute behind them stepped forward. Keara could feel the lump in her throat return as she slipped her hand into her bag, searching for the pocket blade she carried. Her fingers curled around it tightly, thanking whatever Gods watched over her. "Ouur Gladiatooor will takke care of youu."

The Gladiator lunged at her with more grace and speed than she imagined possible for someone his side. He wore no helmet, and Keara could see the sharp fangs that were coming down on her. She dodge shakily, narrowly rolling out of the way. But he was heading in her direction before she even had time to react. Claws, tactical and long, swung at her. The flesh of her arm tore easily. She couldn't stop her scream of pain.

Nimbly she tried to weave and duck out of the way, but every so often his giant swinging hand would catch her, throwing her this way and that. So much so that eventually she could barely move, her clothes were torn to shreds and her skin the same.

In that moment, she could barely gather her wits about her and nearly lost consciousness. She raced through her mind, anything about the Quis she could use to overpower them. She beg it for answers, for help! Then a hand was shaking her, and she did not get the Quis' answers or its pity.

A filthy green face loomed before her eyes. The teeth in that face were yellow, sharp but also broken, and the breath from the mouth was nearly rotten. She tried to turn her head away but he jerked her back.

"Youu will come with usss now, yesss?" He rasped.

"Sod off," Keara spat at him, hitting him square in the eye. He jerked her head back by her onyx hair until she thought her neck would snap. She bit her tongue, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of hearing her cry in pain again.

"No regard for ssself presservaation! Yesss, youu are not huuman," One of them exclaimed, thought Keara didn't know which one. They released the grip on Keara's hair and she slumped to the ground, laying in the snow on her back. Tears escaped her eyes, pain racing through her body, both old and new.

Her eyes searched the skies. For what, she didn't know. She saw nothing. A foot struck her in the kidneys and she bit her lip. Then, one of the creatures picked Keara up roughly and set her on her knees.

"I give youu one more chancce, youung one," It repeated its offer, but again she shook her head vigorously. "Thisss is ssad."

Keara cringed, knowing what was going to happen next. She was going to die. And despite the fact that she had been not-so-secretly wishing for death for the last one thousand, one hundred ninety-nine days, she was suddenly terrified to die. It wasnt that she had much to live for but she realized she had even less to die for. It was then she began to fight.

It took but a split second, catching her captures off guard, to make her escape. One second, they were contemplating how to kill her, the next she was running. With everything she had, she was running. And with everything they had, they chased her.

They were not fast, the large gladiator even slower than the others. She slung off the heels she had been wearing, her bare feet padding on the cold icy ground. She took the alleys like a maze. Not even paying attention to where she went. But Keara's fatigue - All the sleepless nights, the constant pain, the cuts now littering her body - was catching up to her.

She collapsed on the hard, cold ground, panting, grateful for the respite. She didn't have much time to think. She knew that her fear had triggered something else within her. She desperately wanted to live now. For whatever reason, she was determined to survive this, if only for a little while longer. But it had also unleashed something she had hoped to hide.

The drums.

The were so loud now! As if the Master were standing right beside her. Perhaps it had been the proximity to danger that had made them resurface. Whatever the cause, she was bitterly grateful. They were comforting her, making her stronger, giving her the will to live once more.

When she was breathing easily again, she crawled underneath a storm drain, hoping to hide until they passed. It was quiet, though Keara could still hear the footsteps drawing around her in different directions. The drums fueled her will, but also hurt the more she sat there and listened to them. She wanted to cry but bit her teeth into her knuckles until the need had passed.

It could have been hours, though most likely minutes before she could hear no more footsteps. They had passed, she reasoned, dragging herself out of the underpass. No sooner had she reared her head through the opening, a hand snatched at her black locks and pulled her kicking and screaming from her hiding place.

"I have had enouugh! Youu will die noww!" One of the creatures shouted, slamming her down on her back. Keara gazed up with wide eyes, locking sights with the sleek cobalt phaser. "Goodbye, youung one!"

Keara's eyes squeezed shut as she steady herself for death. Despite the danger she was facing, the corners of her mouth turned upwards slightly in irony. She had finally convinced herself that life was worth living and now she was about to die. Oh how the irony was not wasted!

_I am shivering in the cold night air, my hair wet and clammy, and dripping down my back from the snow. I am bleeding from wounds, deep cuts made of talons just like the scars on my back. My mind is pulsing with the only thing that has ever brought me comfort. Given to me by the only man to ever give me comfort. Goodbye, Master... Goodbye, Koschei._

"Hey! Ice bitch! Back off the girl," The voice sent a chill down Keara's spine and she almost didn't want to open her eyes as she feared the drums had caused her to begin hearing things. Several gun shots sounded and the creature holding her by the hair left her side. Through squinted eyes, she watched the green monsters retreat, but only a feet back. Suddenly, she could feel two presences beside her; one cool and one sickly hot.

The drums were so loud now that it hurt her head.

"S'alright, sweetheart," The familiar voice said, a smile audible in his voice. "I'll take care of this for you."

"Oi, Captain freak! Take care of the bloody Ice Warriors and _then_ flirt with the ape," It was this voice that caused Keara's breath to completely stop and her heart soar. She couldn't bring herself to glance up at the face. Her body was beginning to rock with suppressed sobs. Hands, rough as she remembered their touch, gripped her shoulders. "Listen, kid, you have to get yourself under control, got it?"

She choked out something that was half way between a sob and laugh as she shook her head. She had gone completely mental! Utterly lost it. This near death experience had finally driven her over the edge.

"Hey! Listen to me! You need to get a grip," So harsh was the voice, but it caused her to burst into a fit of laughter.

"Can't you at least pretend to have a heart?" Keara asked between the sobs and choked laughter, trying to catch her breath. The body beside her tensed, going as rigid as a stone. Keara continued to stare down at her knees as she sat slumped on the pavement. It was all she could do to calm herself.

Rough fingers grazed her chin, forcefully raising her gaze upwards to meet his. Mossy, dark, almost emerald green eyes meet with somber, wild, chocolate brown orbs that swirled with mixed emotions. Neither spoke a word, though Keara was still silently crying. She was overwhelmed with happiness of seeing those wells of brown and consumed by the fear that none of this was real.

Behind the drums that feed the Quis, it also was gathering the Master's emotions. A vast complex structure that confused Keara. Anger, betrayal, fear, anguish, joy, panic, and something that she herself had felt so many times. Longing.

"Keara?" The word was broken. Like he was fighting back tears, and if Keara hadn't known him so well, she would venture that was what he was about to do. Cry.

More shots erupted causing both the Quis and Time Lord to redirect their attention for just a brief moment. Jack lay not but ten feet away, the immortal man crumpled to the ground in a heap. Keara gasped, momentarily forgetting about Jack's "gift". The Master on the other hand was already standing, laser screwdriver in hand and ready for action.

"GLADITOOOR! Dessstory the Time Lord!" One of the Ice Warriors commanded. The giant stalked forward, baring his teeth at the Master. Keara grabbed on to the Master, the fear suddenly returning despite the Master being so close.

"Dont worry, Keara" The Master whispered, wrapping an arm firmly around her waist, "I will always be here, pet."

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**Author's Note: **I finally got through the reunion chapter! Yeah! Hehe. I know I promised more answers about the Master's rescue by Jack on Sabas' ship, and I _did_ write that but something didn't feel right about posting it so soon so I put it in a box, wrapped it with a bow and it will be set aside for a later date! By the way, the Ice Warriors are canon _Doctor Who_ aliens.

A lot of you have messaged me about why Keara and the Master have a different number of days. It'll be explained more later but for now, I'll give you a brief explanation. The current year of this story is 2012. This chapter is set on November 1st to be exact. Keara was transported back to her own time after Sabas. Back in 2009. 1199 days later, she meets the Master again. For the Master, it has only been 470 days. You know, timey-whimey.

Anywho, sorry about the dark tones... I promise that I _will_ get some fluff in here eventually. I'm just such an angst writer anymore! *Sigh* So sue me. Or yell at me via **reviews**...

**NEXT CHAPTER: **Swirls Of Gold


	4. Swirls Of Gold

**Obligatory Disclaimer: **Yet another disclaimer? Yeah, I know. Anywho, I don't own _Doctor Who _in any way and don't profit from this story... Unless you count the wealth of joy I get from writing it! If that's the case, I'm one rich Whovian! The only thing that's mine is Keara Ashland! Please don't steal her or stalk her.

**Virtual Fez-Shaped Cakes And Bowties All Around:  
TheDoctorsMistress: **I definitely didn't want a fluffy reunion. Now, whether there will be more fluff after they're safe and sound is another subject (and chapter) all together!  
**pattibon:** You and that song are a life saver today! Seriously, I can not begin to express this enough! Ehehe. I am feeling better, thank you.  
**TheWickedHeart: **I'm glad too! But prepare to hate me again...  
**And thank you to Mad as Hats for joining us on this crazy adventure!**

**Enjoy.**

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**Chapter Four:**

_**Swirls Of Gold**_

** Day one thousand and ninety-nine.**

The Master stood tall, his face unreadable as he protected her. It was the only thought in his mind, even as he faced a giant of a creature. An Ice Warrior. One of their Gladiators. Outweighing him four to one.

With his laser screwdriver firmly in hand, he knew it would be fairly easy to face this beast. Yet, he didn't care. His hallucinations of the past year had finally tore his already shattered sanity in two and now he had her within his grasp. He wouldn't let anything change that.

The Master will protect Keara.

She clung to his chest, unable to summon the courage to move. The cuts on her arms still bled, her clothes barely hanging on to her as tattered remains. She wanted to look brave in front of the Master, but the thought of facing that monster again proved too much for her.

In the end though, the Master clutched her tighter. He would protect her with his life. She didn't need to be scared. She had him. He was her protector and always would be. Even if it meant giving his life for her, he would be there. A scary thought for the Master, but one that didn't even register at the time.

The laser screwdriver was fixated on the Gladiators monstrous form, unwavering in its attention. The beast obviously knew better than to act while it was in his direction. The faint glow of the screwdriver's golden tint shined through the dark edges of the street, its soft whirling buzz adding to the reminder of its presence.

The Gladiator tilted his head back, unleashing a ghastly howl that sent another wave of sobs through Keara. She grabbed at the Master's chest, pulling him tighter against her for reassurance.

It was all the beast could handle. The scent of fear threw the monster into overdrive and he lunged towards the couple. The sight of him daring to so much as move enraged the Master to a point he hadn't been in a long time. It was now or never, and never wasn't an option.

Without so much as batting an eye, the Master allowed the weapon to fire. The golden arch reminding him so much of when he'd killed Sabas' aboard his ship. Except this time, he had Keara in his arms. Everything was as it should be.

The blast hit the Gladiator, sending his body to the ground in a convulsing heap. His drums roared in triumph as he watched the beast writhe in pain on the ground in front of him. They hadn't seen death in so long, and they were soaking it up as best it could. The Master pulled Keara away from his chest, wanting her to see she had nothing to fear as long as she was with him.

Giving him a soft smile, she didn't need to see, though. Just the sounds of his drums were enough to comfort her. The woman knew that she had nothing to worry about. The Master was with her and that was all that mattered. All that had ever mattered.

"Keara?" The voice called out over the strong wind, and she turned to see Doctor walking towards her cautiously. He stared for a moment, looking between the couple and dead beast.

"Doctor!" Keara exclaimed as the Master dropped his arms from around the woman. Slowly, hesitant to leave his side, Keara walked over to wrap her arms around the Time Lord.

"You? But how? I. You. Dead. How?" He stuttered, returning the hug.

"Long story..." She mumbled against his chest.

"Well, its good to see you," The Doctor finally said, pushing back a lock of Keara's dark, tangled hair.

"Is that all you have to say?" Keara replied, pulling away from his touch. A small smile flickered at the corner of her mouth.

"There's so much more to say," The Master chuckled darkly, shoving his hands in his pockets. Keara laughed as well, albeit softly. She was just thankful it was all over. And yet, all was about to start again.

"TIME LORDSSS LOCATED!" It was like a chorus of that same dark tone as before in the alleyway. The two Ice Warriors stood not ten feet from the group, discontent clear in their alien features. One had his hand gripped tightly to a phaser, aimed and ready to fire.

It was as if time had slowed, she mused. Keara heard the Master's laser screwdriver already charging. A shot fired. One Ice Warrior crumples to the ground. Then she hears the phaser fire.

Keara couldn't stop it before it happened. It registered in her mind that the Master had been shot. A burst of anger tore at her. She tackled one of the Ice Warriors to the ground. The sound echoed off the buildings, causing birds to scatter everywhere.

"The Time Lord isss dead" It almost sounded like a laugh coming from the Ice Warrior as he laid underneath Keara's body. The woman couldn't stop her anger. She pulled back her fist, slamming it into the side of its face. She could hear the Ice Warrior gasping, trying to push her off but Keara wouldn't relent.

"Keara! You're going to kill him," The Doctor shouted, pulling her off the alien. She fought and kicked against the impish Time Lord as she watched the Warrior just lying there.

"SO?! He's killed the Master," Keara snarled. The Doctor finally released her but watched her closely, ready to stop the woman if she pounced again. "Doesnt that anger you?! He was your friend! Even if you were enemies, I know you still cared for him!"

"Of course I still care for him," The Doctor sheepishly replied. She could see the man's face fall as he turned to look at the other Time Lord. Keara rushed over to the Master's side, crouching beside him carefully. He wasn't breathing, and for once, she couldn't hear his drums.

"Master! Please wake up," She begged, tears blurring her vision as she buried her head into his chest. She didn't care about the blood staining her face, only that he was pressed against her.

"You've got to move away from him," The Doctor stated softly. His hands wrapped around her waist, trying to pull her up to her feet.

"No! No! I wont leave him," Keara sobbed, grabbing at his shirt for support. It didn't work as she felt another set of hand grab at her. It was Amy this time. She was trying to calm her down but she refused to be moved. "Get your hands off me, you gits! I'm not going to leave him!"

"You have to move away or you'll be harmed, Ashland," The Doctor jerked her away from the Master's body. Keara stilled, allowing both of them to pull her a safe distance away.

"What are you on about?" She asked as she tried to calm her tears. A man, someone Keara didn't recognize, pulled out a handkerchief and wiped away the tears as the Doctor wrapped his coat around her body.

"If the Master's body is still capable of it, he'll need room to regenerate," The Doctor explained, clearing her face of the moister. She sniffled, raising an eyebrow at the man.

"What if he isn't capable of it?" Keara ventured.

"Then he'll die," The Doctor stated softly. "I've seen the Master return from far worse. He's certainly had much more than thirteen lives," The Doctor added, planting a kiss on the top of her head. She sighed and glanced over towards the still Time Lord. Already, his body was beginning to shimmer with the telltale signs of gold.

"Is he regenerating?" The other man asked.

"Oh yes! Brilliant! Amy, Rory, you'll love this," The Doctor exclaimed, clapping his hands together.

"Shouldnt we take cover?" Keara asked, feeling as giddy as the impish man beside her. The three stared down at her, slightly confused. "I've seen two regenerations and both yours and his were extremely barmy. And violent!"

"Two?" The Doctor questioned, having only known about her witnessing his own regeneration. "No, I don't think so," The Doctor finally said as he rubbed his chin. "If the Master were conscious than perhaps but given his current state, I believe this process will be quite easy. Besides, the excess life energy seems to be evening out very properly."

"If you say so," Keara replied. Not taking her eyes off the Master, she wrapped her arms around herself. It had already began to snow again, and she couldn't help but shiver. But for the moment, she didn't care.

Her only concern was the Master's regeneration. His body lit up in swirls of gold, raising high off the ground in lofty columns of murky beauty. The Master's entire form was glowing. His limps twitched, shaking in strain as the light grew brighter and brighter with each passing second.

Keara had to look away, the light suddenly becoming too bright for her eyes. Amy and Rory had to do the same. The Time Lord beside her seemed to be unhindered by the light as he continued to keep his eyes glued to his once close friend. The entire alley was bright as day, and it hurt Keara's eyes despite her closing them.

The Doctor said something to his counterpart, Amy, though Keara couldn't hear what. She seemed to laugh lightly but just shook her head as they continued to watch the regeneration process.

Finally, when the light had grown softer, she turned back around towards the scene before them. She stared, trying to strain her eyes in the now too dark light to see what had become of the Master.

_If Ten could turn into Eleven, what would come of the Master's regeneration?_

"Dont touch him," The Doctor stated as he looked down at Keara. "But you can go check on him if you'd fancy it."

She didn't need to be told twice. Before he could get the 'cy' out of the word fancy, she was already half the distance to the Master. As she neared, she slowed her pace to take in his features.

How had she described his face the first time?

_His face was young, and far too tense of her taste, though, superficially, he was absolutely stunning. It was slender with high cheek bones and a wide nose. His lips were full and tantalizing and he had the tiniest hint of a five o'clock shadow. _

Everything had changed though. The scrunched, hardened face of Harold Saxon was gone. Replaced by a softer, though still very tense face - A feature she doubted that he would ever lose. The short, dirty blonde hair was gone. Now it was a dark chestnut-brown, like his eyes had been. The small hint of the five o'clock shadow had stayed as well. His cheekbones much more prominent but still a slender silhouette.

Gold still swirled over the skin that was visible. She could tell just by the quick glance over him that his body had changed too. Still lanky but no longer fairly short for a man. Instead, he seemed to have gained several centimeters, putting well above 180cm. His lean chest and arms seemed to gain some more definition to them.

Keara smiled, unsure of how to take in his changes. And when his lids fluttered upon, she melted. His amber eyes hadn't changed a bit. Still wild and shifting as they had been just moments before he had been shot. They searched her face, taking in every bit of the soft features.

"Have a fun trip?" Keara asked, running her hand over his chest. "Koschei?"

"If being hit by a truck were fun," He winced and grabbed her hand. "Then yeah, brilliant."

"No memory loss or signs of regeneration distort?" The Doctor asked as he came to stand next to the Quis and Time Lord. "Any tingling in your ears or blurry vision, eh?"

"Listen, I've been through enough of these to know what to look for," The Master groaned, trying to sit up on his own. Keara rested her hand on his back slightly, ready to intervene if need be. "As long as I've got two of everything I need, then I'm fine!"

"You look completely... different," Keara laughed, watching the Master checking over his body. He glanced at her, rolling his eyes. "I like the hair."

"Whats happened to my hair?" He asked as he ran his fingers through the dark brown mess. It wasn't much different, only a tad longer, and darker. "Please tell I'm not a ginger!"

"Is there some kind of fascination with gingers among Time Lords?" Again, her laugh was louder than intended and the Master scowled at it. "No, you aren't a ginger this time round. Just... different..."

He scoffed "Did you want something else? I suppose I could have the arse shot me again if that would make you happy? Maybe try on a few different looks."

"No, no. I kinda like this curly, messy look you've got going on here," She replied, brushing a longer curl away from his forehead. The Master raised an eyebrow. Apparently, it was his turn to be confused.

"You'll have to explain that one to-" But the Master couldn't finish his sentence. Keara's lips connected with his, lips bruising lips and even teeth connecting. The Time Lord fell backward slightly, but it didn't stop him from responding. Her hand twisted in his newly grown hair as if she were scared to let go. They clung to each other for dear life, the others leaving their thoughts completely.

Keara, though still out of breath, kissed as long as she could. She only pulled away when her lungs felt as if they would burst if she didn't breathe.

"Good lord," A strained voice said behind them, though neither turned to see who had spoken. With a chuckle, "I die for a few minutes and _he_ gets the girl?"

"_Jack_," The Doctor's voice was warning, but playful. "Look who it is..."

"Black? Is that you?" The surprise in Jack's voice was clear and Keara tore her gaze away from the Master. She smiled up at her friend, relieved to see him breathing once more. In one quick, fluid movement, Jack swept the smaller woman onto her feet. Jack's arms wrapped tightly around her slim frame, his face reddened with laughter. She hugged back. His unnatural presence was so peaceful, so comforting. She had missed her handsome Captain Jack.

"Oh, my! Jack how you've grown," Keara jabbed, patting him on his stomach after he had released her from the embrace.

"Look how you've _grown_," His eyes roamed over her body and he didn't even seem to notice the joke. She sighed content, running her hand through her black hair, letting it sweep against her back. Jack only seemed to beam down at her. His hands lightly traced over her arms and face as if desperately trying to convince himself that she was indeed standing no more than a meter away. Keara couldn't remember the last time she had seen a smile so large.

There was a silence enveloping the same group, though. Though Keara wouldn't have described it as awkward, she also wouldn't have said it was comfortable. Even if Jack and the others seemed to be overly excited by the sudden knowledge that she was alive and well, he also seemed to be much more hesitant in his words. By this point in the conversation she had fully expected to be debriefed about her survival.

"Whats the matter?" Keara asked, giving the immortal man a playful poke in his chest. "Does it take a peak at my delicates to get a word out of you these days?"

"Well, that would help," Jack raised his eyebrow, and jokingly reached for the hem of her skirt.

"Jack!" The Doctor said warningly.

With a bit of a grunt, the Master stood and took his place next to the woman. She smiled, feeling his warmth beside her. But as she glanced up to lock eyes with him, she could see the hard scowl etched in his features.

"What's wrong?" Keara questioned, placing her hands on her hips. The Master's scowl seemed quite out-of-place, but never left. "Have I done something to offended you all of a sudden?"

"You didn't come find us."

His answer was certainly not what she had expected and for a second she almost felt guilty. Clearly the Master had been worried about her, or at least felt partly responsible enough for her death to be worried for her. Yet her anger never gave way to the guilt. _Three years of pure Hell and I finally had someone to lay it on. And thick!_

"You slimy git," Keara hissed through gritted teeth. Her hands clenched at her sides and the Doctor's shocked expression barely registered in the back of her mind. "_I_ didn't come find _you_?! Why couldn't you have come looking for me, huh? You're the one with a bloody time machine!"

"I thought you were dead-" But she held a finger against the Master's mouth as her eyes burned holes through him.

"I've been stuck in this Hell hole for three years _trying_ to find you! With nothing! Nothing but a gaping hole in my universe," Keara's words dripped with venom as she fought back the tears that threatened to come. "Its taken me three years to get a relatively normal life! What makes you think I wanted to come and find you, Master?"

The Doctor placed a hand on her shoulder, one she quickly shrugged off. "Keara-"

"What makes you think I care?" Never before had she heard the Master more serious. He'd cut the Doctor's sentence off before he could even begin it and Keara felt a shiver run down her spine. Within his eyes, though, she could see the anger that lived there, the fire that had been ignited through her words. He scared her, the Master was forever cursed with the body of young man and ancient guilt and hatred that lasted as long as he did. He was forever unchanging, a fixed point in time.

And he was stark raving pissed. Keara felt a huge lump form in the back of her throat. One that just simply wouldn't go away even though she tried gulping it down. The Time Lord's brown eyes seemed as if they'd start glowing red at any moment and the Quis alerted her that she should be in defense mode.

"You should remember your-" The Master's sentence fell short, his hand clutching for one of his hearts and he collapsed.

"Master!"

"Something's wrong," The Doctor pushed past Keara, pulling out his sonic screwdriver. A few quick scans and he was peering over the results. His face grew less tense as looked over the sonic device.

"Well?" Keara demanded, trying to make heads or tails of the Doctor's sonic. "Is he alright?!"

"Seems his life energy is still shifting," He mumbled, tucking his screwdriver back into his coat pocket. "He'll need rest. And lots of it." Keara sighed in relief. The fears that had creeped up in her mind was starting to sink away once more. "I'll just fetch the TARDIS and we'll get him into the Zero Room. He'll be good as new in no time."

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**Author's Notes: **You can thank **pattibon** for this one! She introduced me to a song that has literally inspired me for the last few days! I hope this turned out alright. I know that a lot of you wouldn't like the idea of saying goodbye to Simm!Master but it had to be done. This one is based on one of my favorite actors. Tom Hiddleston. So yeah... Hiddles!Master is here to stay. Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll and chose between him and Andrew Scott!

So **review**! And dont forget to add me on Tumblr (datatwohearts) or just PM me!

**NEXT CHAPTER:** A Raggedy Teddy Bear


	5. A Raggedy Teddy Bear

**Obligatory Disclaimer:** Lets see. I do not own any of the _Doctor Who_ universe. Not its characters, or aliens, or planets. Nor its plot. I do use them to help the storyline along. I do, however, own Keara! She is my original companion so don't steal her. I also own a certain blonde, thirteen year old mentioned in this chapter.

**Thanks For Your Support Of Hiddles!Master:  
Neko Noke: **Seeing as you decided to write me two of the longest reviews I have ever seen, I sent you a PM instead of replying her. Good lords woman!  
**The Girl Who Can: **Ehehe. Well, welcome to the sequel! I'm glad you finally noticed I started writing again.  
**ClinicallyInsaneKoschei:** Love you too! Don't forget to vote tomorrow! I _will _drive up there and drag you into the nearest polling center!  
**Pattibon: **I'm glad you like Hiddle!Master. I was really worried. And yes, we are moving the story along! This chapter will answer some questions. And good luck with GISHWHES! I hope dinner with Misha is nice.  
**TheWickedHeart: **You have no idea what a relief it is to hear that people weren't overly angry for the Master's regeneration!  
**Celestial Valkyrie: **Thank you so much! And thanks for the review! I love when people leave one, even if it's just a short one.  
**And thanks to ShoobaBalooba for the adding me to their Alerts/Favorites list!**

**Enjoy.**

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**Chapter Five:**

_**A Raggedy Teddy Bear **_

** Day four hundred and seventy****.**

"Why does the Doctor own so many clothes?" She mumbled to no one in particular as she searched for something to wear. Rory, the wonderful nurse that he was, had patched up her cuts. They werent deep but they were numerous and she still ached all over. Her clothing at the time had been so shredded that they weren't salvageable.

Even though she had never been a typical girl, it still took her forever to find something decent. This was not because she was picky or fashion conscious or even mildly curious as to what the Doctor's oversized wardrobe held. Although, it had crossed her mind. No, this was because the Doctor had nearly three levels of clothes to sift through. Most of which were women's clothes. All of which were completely unorganized. Keara felt flustered. Over more things than clothes.

The Master still hasn't woken.

Keara huffed, giving up on the first level without a second thought and headed up the stairs to look for more clothes. She groaned, seeing that this floor was in no better condition. _Honestly, I have never seen anything so flung together in all my life!_

"TARDIS, isn't there anyway of helping me with this?" Keara shouted, throwing her hands up in defeat. The TARDIS seemed amused, and she still swears she heard her laughing. "Please."

The lights flicked off suddenly, leaving her standing there in utter darkness. Keara gasped as she felt something brush her back. All around her, she heard things moving and a creeping sensation went through her as her imagination swirled at the possibilities.

"Alright, old girl! Please, please, please turn on the lights now," Keara quietly begged, not knowing if she should be laughing or bracing herself for a fight if needed.

_Be calm, my madwoman. I'm only helping._

The TARDIS' voice was just as she remembered it, soft and silky, and always so reassuring. She laughed slightly at the use of her nickname for the woman. Never had she been so happy to be called a madwoman by a big blue box.

"Thank you," Keara stated as soon as the lights flickered back to life.

_Top of the staircase. I hope you like what I chose._

"Oh, I know I will, TARDIS! No doubt there's quite a few blue items among the clothing," Keara laughed, walking up the staircase. She was greeted by a nearly empty floor of clothing. Only twenty or so items hung there, where as the other floors must have had easily two hundred articles of clothing.

To her surprise, there was hardly anything blue hanging among the clothes. A blouse that was much too bright and a matching coat. Neither of which were the shade of the TARDIS. The only other item was a long scarf which she doubted she'd be wearing. After looking over each item and deciding which one looked best on her, Keara scooped them up and trotted off towards the room adjacent the wardrobe. _Of course a wardrobe would have a changing room..._

She peeled off the plush white robe she had been wearing and threw it in the hamper just as the Doctor had instructed. The look she was going for was very reserved. The shirt she had selected was just simple long sleeve button-up that hugged her chest and waist, showing off her hourglass figure. Her pants were a faded black that did her bottom some justice, though not as well as her skirt had.

She pulled on a pair of black Converse, sure that if she were to remain with the Doctor, a pair of running shoes would suit her best. Then she shrugged into a black, leather, and very warm coat. She didn't know why, but it felt completely right wearing the old thing, even if it looked like it had seen better days.

When she exited the changing room, the Doctor was waiting for her outside. His back was pressed against the door frame and a wonderful smile was painted on his face.

"I see you got the TARDIS to do your dirty work for you," The Time Lord laughed, standing up straight to look Keara over. He frowned slightly and only for a moment before smiling once again. "I like the leather jacket look. I did that one myself not so long ago."

"One of your regenerations?" Keara asked and he just nodded. She ran her hand through her long locks. Keara let out a small, almost strained laugh, playfully slapping his arm. The Doctor laughed lightly, but his eyes seemed distant. "Are you alright? You look slightly ill."

"Can I ask you a personal question?" He let his hands slip into his pockets, looking like an awkward oversized child. Keara gave him a soft smile in hopes it might ease him.

"I suppose. Just not too personal, yeah," She replied, trying to keep her smile in place. She could feel how nervous he was and she let the Quis take it away, to help calm his nerves as best it could.

"It's just..." The Doctor pause, rubbing the back of his neck. Perhaps the Quis wasnt strong enough for the Time Lord, she wondered. But he seemed to relax a bit before continuing. "Well, I mean, how did you survive? Last I heard, not only were you stranded on an imploding ship but you were also poisoned by an Aquincum. There's no antidote for that."

"Not yet," She shrugged, her good mood far away now. Keara sighed heavily, running a hand over her face. "It hasn't been invented it just yet."

"Yet?" He asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah. You know, _yet_ and not now. Spoilers and such," She mumbled. The Doctor cocked his head to the side, his hair flopping with him as he looked her over once more.

"Can you at least tell me how you got off that ship?" The Doctor finally questioned after he'd given up putting much thought into the future.

"I suppose, yeah," She replied.

"Not here. We'll go to the library and talk," He stated, walking out of the wardrobe. Keara followed silently, feeling the sting of that day becoming fresh once more. She hated that damn memory, more than almost anything else in her life. The joy of living, mixed with the crushing loneliness of life. All that as well as the horrible physical pain made it so much more painful than anything else she could have ever experienced.

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_ I turned to look at the Master... To look at Koschei. He was smiling, and I knew he was actually happy for once. We weren't even touching but we couldn't have been closer. We sat inches apart as we listened to the timer ticking down from ten._

_ "Keara," The Master began, the timer hitting eight, "I need you to know. I promised Dominus... I promised our son that I'd tell you."_

_ "What?" I asked, the timer hitting five._

_ "I-" The Master was cut short by an arm wrapping around his waist. It was Jack! The Captain made sure he had a tight grip with the arm that held his vortex manipulator, while the other activated it. There was a buzzing as I watched the Master's face pale_

_"Keara! No-" But the Master's voice was cut off by the crackling of a vortex manipulator. The last thing I saw was the Master's terrified face. And just like that, I was alone. Completely alone._

_ Three._

_ Two._

_ One._

_ I braced myself for the worst, knowing that I would be completely and utterly alone when I died. I was actually thankful for that. Even though I loved the Master and dying with him by my side had been a comforting thought, I couldn't have been happier._

_ The Master was going to survive all this. Just as he always did. He always survived and I couldn't have wished for anything else. The man I loved was going to continue living._

_ Closing my eyes tightly, I waited for that singular moment. I wondered for a moment if I would realize when it happened. If the implosion would hurt or not. Was there a heaven, I asked myself. I had never truly believed in a higher being, and the idea of an afterlife seemed a bit shady to me. Secretly, I hoped for one. At least then I wouldn't have to be totally alone for the rest of eternity._

_ "Does dying always take this long?" I mused aloud, opening one of my eyes. Seeing my surroundings, both my eyes widened considerably. "What the hell?"_

_ I was pretty sure my heart had stopped beating, though from the poison or my shock I wasnt sure. The room around me was strikingly familiar, its cold stone walls the basis of my horrible childhood._

_ Mother Agatha's Home For Lost Children had been the cornerstone of a very uptight and sick life. The orphanage was ran by nuns, each more devoted to being a full on Catholic than the last. The entire place stank of religious devotion and the fundamental thought that the phrase 'Spare The Rod, Spoil The Child' was God's law._

_ The room I sat in now was no better than my memories. If anything, it only reinforced my hatred for those goddamn nuns! I wouldn't deny that I was insane, but the nuns were just sick and cruel. I remembered sitting in the very same room. Me, poor ten-year old Dale Kelly, crying over a raggedy teddy bear because I'd been slapped across the face with a ten inch ruler for questioning Mother Agatha herself._

_ "Oi, how much do you weigh?" A voice snapped me out of my sad memories. I looked over to see a mop of blonde hair belonging to a young boy, his chest heaving wildly._

_ "Dominus!" I exclaimed and tried to lift myself off the cold wood floor. I couldn't though, and ended up falling back down to the floor with a thump. The chill of the wood pressed against my face felt wonderful as my fever had spiked._

_ "Mama, stay still," He demanded, setting his teddy bear on a chair nearby. I smiled weakly, looking at the same bear I had cried with all those years ago. Dominus turned me over gently so that I laid on my stomach. I didn't fight him, only let him do what he wanted. I could feel him pulling at my tattered shirt, pushing back the rags to expose the skin that Sabas had slashed up so well._

_ "Oh shite," He mumbled, clearly shocked. "This is the Aquincum's Scar. You really have been poisoned!"_

_ "Watch your language," I joked, feeling light-headed. Dominus didn't respond to my words and instead I felt him rubbing the cuts. I hissed in pain. "What the hell are you doing?"_

_ "Calm down, git," He retorted. He didn't stop touching the slashes but I couldn't fight back. I didn't have the strength. I was angry with him but couldn't show it. All I could do was lay there, letting out soft sobs at the horrible pain._

_ "Please! Stop," I finally managed to whimper, taking a sharp inhale of breath. Dominus still didn't stop and I felt my anger growing stronger. "Dominus! STOP!"_

_ "Hold still," He demanded and I felt him pressing harder on the soft, bloody skin of my back, reopening my wounds. I cried out this time as loud as I could, tears falling down on to the wood floor. Trying to get away from his touch, I threw my arm around and it connected with his body. Dominus stopped and stared down at my face, his own as hard as stone. "Do you want to die, mama?"_

_ "No!" I nearly shouted, and tried to push him away again. He caught my arm this time and gently pinned it to the floor beside me._

_ "You have to stop fighting me," He stated. I scowled, feeling more tears streaking down my face. "Let me fix you!"_

_ "You cant," I replied hastily._

_ "I never understood why uncle taught me so much about medicine until now. I never had any interest in it," Dominus gave me a timid smile. "I guess the Doctor knew that it would save your life someday."_

_ "There's no antidote," I mumbled. Unable to find the strength to hold my head up any longer, I let it rest against the ground once more._

_ "Not yet," He replied and pulled out a knife from his boot. He gave me a reassuring smile. "When you see the Doctor again, be sure not to tell him about this part. He's got to figure it out on his own."_

_ With that statement, he ran the blade of the long knife over his forearm, from palm to elbow, several times. I gasped, albeit labored. Blood poured from his cuts and he held out the arm over my back. It dripped onto the cuts and set me on fire._

_ "What is that?" I groaned, more tears coming now. I squeezed my eyes shut and bit down on my bottom lip to stop the screams._

_ "The Quis will be able to use my blood to slow the poison to a halt. It's enough to subdue the poison. That's why I had to reopen the cuts," He replied and I could hear him beginning to sob. _

_ I glanced back, seeing my son cutting himself again to keep the wounds open, all the while letting tears flow down his face. It seemed surreal. Dominus' blood and tears dripping against the cuts on my back made my mind swirl. Everything seemed blurry, like it is in the movies. Nothing seemed real. Nothing seemed fake. There wasnt anything left in my world as I laid there._

_ And then suddenly everything became too crisp. I was awake now, as if I had just drank seven cups of straight espresso. My eyes widened and I could hear Dominus' sobbing becoming slower and more quiet. I pulled myself up, pulling away from him to look._

_ The young boy watched me, his eyes half lidded. It had obviously taken quite a bit out of him. Nevertheless, Dominus gave me a full on smile just to show he was okay._

_ "You've saved me," I stated as if he didn't already know._

_ "Not really," He mumbled, raising to his feet. "I've only saved you long enough for the Quis to adjust to the poison."_

_ "Adjust?"_

_ "Yes," Dominus shook his head, looking away from my eyes. "I'm so sorry, mama. Sabas wasn't lying. There is no antidote. All I've done is give you a few more hours. By that time, the Quis will have found a way of processing the poison. Unfortunately, it will never leave your system."_

_ "What does that mean?" I questioned, feeling my pain dulling._

_ "How do you feel pain wise?" He asked in response. I shrugged my shoulders, feeling rather stiff. I was still in a considerable amount of pain but it was nowhere near what I had experienced before._

_ "Like I just got hit by an Aquincum," I replied. "Simply horrible."_

_ "I'm sorry, so sorry" He said again, running his hands through his messy blonde hair. "I know you're going to hate me. You don't deserve this. You've never deserved any of this!"_

_ "Dominus," I interjected, giving him a soft smile when he'd turned to look at me. "I could never hate you. You're my son. I love you no matter what you do. That's what mothers do, you know."_

_ "But you don't understand," He replied, shaking his head._

_ "Then explain it to me," I said and stood as well. Dominus closed the gap between us and gingerly wrapped his arms around my waist, blood smearing between the two of us. He buried his face in my stomach like a child much younger than thirteen and I felt him beginning to tremble._

_ "You'll hate me," He sobbed._

_ "Yes I will," I said, and he pulled away to look at me. "Is that what you want to hear? Do you want me to lie to you?"_

_ "No! Of course not."_

_ "Then just tell me what it is," I demanded, feeling a sharp pain pass through me. Dominus watched me as I hissed in pain once again, his frown never leaving._

_ "You're going to be in pain for the rest of your life," He mumbled, and returned his head to rest against my stomach. "You'll be in pain and its all my fault!"_

_ "I'm going to feel like this forever," I clarified, and felt him nodding against my stomach. "Well, I don't see how that's your fault."_

_ "Because I'm the one who saved you," He shouted. "I'm the one who made the Quis adjust to the poison. You'll live but you'll be in so much pain for the rest of your life and I'm the one-"_

_ "I love you so much," I interrupted him, hugging him tightly. "I'm so very proud of you. You have no idea of how proud!"_

_ "How can you say that?" Dominus asked, pulling away from me._

_ I smiled at him, feeling another jolt of pain wash over me. I made sure I didn't show it as I stared down at the young boy. His face was red from crying and we were both covered in blood. I sighed, content, watching him returning my smile._

_ "Because, Dominus. You're my son. My one and only son. Nothing you do could change that. Now or in fifty years, I'll always love you."_

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Keara told the Doctor the edited version of the story. Conveniently, she forgot to tell him that he'd in fact figured out how to save her. As Dominus had said, he had to be the one to figure that out on his own.

"A Time Ring?" The Doctor asked, scratching the side of his head.

"Yes," Keara replied, momentarily allowing her gaze to tear away from the globe in front of her. "Said he knicked off of Benjermin after I'd killed him. I'm not sure of how Benjermin came across it."

"That's strange," He mumbled, staring up at the ceiling. She sighed, watching the Time Lord thinking. "You know, Time Lords invented Time Rings. I wonder how a human like Benjermin came across one."

"Garage sell," Keara answered, earning a small laugh from the Doctor.

"So you live in constant pain?" He asked, staring at her from across the table now. She nodded her head, letting her attention be drawn away by the globe in the corner. "There has to be a way of taking it away."

"I've tried pain medication," Keara replied, looking over the strange planetary model. She had no clue what planet it was. "Nothing really seems to dull the pain. I've always had a high tolerance for drugs and such. Even when I had my back surgery in 2007, and they gave me morphine."

"That's the Quis' fault," He stated, a sour look on his face. "Those things will absorb anything they think is harmful to its host's body."

"I figured as much," She mumbled.

"How can you live like that?" The Doctor asked, standing up from his chair. He strode over towards her, pulling out his sonic screwdriver. He ran it over her a few times, its green light practically blinding her. He read it quickly, and his eyes shot back up to her face. "Blimey!"

"Yeah, well," Keara shrugged and gave him a forced smile. "I just have to force myself out of bed. I mean, some days are worse than others but over all, I've learned to deal with it."

"I'll find a way to help you, Keara," He assured her but she gently shook her head no. "Why?"

"You brought the Master back to me. Now, I want you to focus solely on finding River," She replied, earning a questioning glance. "I know what its like not to know if the one you love is dead or alive. Dont put yourself through that for me."

"Of course, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm the Doctor, and I always keep my word. Now, I promise you, Keara Ashland, I will find a way to help you," He said, adjusting his bow tie, and she could feel the guilt in his hearts. But his smile warmed her, and she returned it as best she could. "Though, seeing what you picked out to wear, I'm thinking I should have brought you a stylist instead!"

"Says the man in the bow tie," She remarked, slightly offended.

"Oi!" The Doctor nearly yelled as he straightened his bow tie, "Bow ties are cool."

"When? The fifties," She laughed. Before he had a chance to reply, she pushed past him and towards the door of the library. She paused for a moment at the door, looking around the large room. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"As long as it isn't too personal," He mocked. Keara gave him a cheeky smile, and he returned it playfully.

"Why is there a pool in your library?"

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**Author's Note:** Remember to **review**. Or PM me with ideas! I need them, loves!

**NEXT CHAPTER: **The Temptation Of His Insanity


	6. The Temptation Of His Insanity

**Obligatory Disclaimer:** You know I don't own _Doctor Who_. But I have had several Twitter conversations with Steven Moffat! Does that count for anything? No? Alrighty then... Only Keara Ashland is mine and blah, blah, blah...

**Quick A/N: **Sorry about the delay with this one. One of my friend's had a baby and I was caught up with that and Supernatural feels... But here is an extra long chapter to make up for it, loves!

**WARNING:.**..Smut...

**Enjoy.**

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**Chapter Six:**

_**The Temptation Of His Insanity**_

**Day one thousand, one hundred and one.**

He has been sleeping for two days now. Everyone was worried, though no one would voice their concerns. The Doctor had assured them that he would make a full recovery. Jack, and the Doctor had gone off to finish up the Ice Warrior problem, leaving Nurse Rory to care of the others. Amy had insisted she go with them but instead had remained aboard the TARDIS.

He hovered at the edge of her vision. She could not turn to face him. The sleeping figure of the Master, from dream and vision spawned, and his breathing so steady that it seemed fake.

The Master would survive.

But the thought didn't comfort Keara. She convulsed in fear, yet her body did not tremble nor did her mind run in circles like a caged beast. Instead, from deep behind her awareness, the fear of losing him again had left her numb. So she dozed in her chair beside him, unable to sleep peacefully.

Rory or Amy would come in from time to time, checking in on her or leaving her food that she never touched. She had no time to ask them what the Doctor was accomplishing out there, only time to give them small words of thanks. Her mind was far away from that situation. Constantly, she chewed on her nails in worry until the fresh manicure was nothing more than scruff nubs, uneven and dull.

"Keara?" Jerking out of another failed attempt to sleep, she rose unsteadily at the sound of the voice. The woman leaned down towards the Master, she put both hands on his shoulders and her face close to his.

"Master," She whispered, gently shaking him. "Please speak to me."

Finally, his gaze turned upwards, his eyes opening slightly. A tear filled smile spread across her face as the Master shrugged off her hands and sat up awkwardly. His eyes cut into her with every question she could not know, and most likely never be able answer.

And he cursed himself, seeing the pained, worried look on her face. His shoulders shook slightly with pent-up emotions as he took her into his arms and held her.

She held back her tears now for his sake. They sat there in silence, holding one another for as long as Time would allow. Red-eyed, swollen-faced, silent. When Keara felt she could finally face him, she pulled back some and offered a smile. He just shook his head. They sat there longer, Keara huddled up to him. After a long, but few minutes, he gripped her tighter.

"I've missed you," She said quietly. It was not what the Master had wanted to hear.

"Go away..." He whispered and began retreating back towards from the woman within his grasp. Keara looked towards him, though he wouldn't allow his eyes to meet her own.

"Please," Keara replied in a broken gasp, stopping the Master with her hand. "Why? What have I done now? Do you have any idea the pain I've been in since that day? Just how much I missed you..."

"I said leave," He repeated himself. The Master could not force himself to look upon her face anymore. "I will not entertain hallucinations."

"Hallucination? _I'm_ a hallucination," Keara shouted this time. She shook her head, unable to wrap her mind around the idea that he actually believed she was a delusion. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she was helpless to stop them. "Koschei, its me! Its Keara!"

"No! Now go away," He yelled, pushing her off of the bed. His voice scared her more than it had ever before, the fear of leaving him shaking her deeply.

"I'm not leaving! I've waited so long to find you! Just listen to me! I'm real," She begged. "I'm not leaving until you understand that I'm real..."

"You aren't," He hissed, eyes narrowing at her. Any compassion she felt for the Master was quickly tossed aside, giving way to the anger she had been nursing at the entire time. Suddenly, she wanted to leave. She didn't want to look at him. Everything was going wrong and her mind lead her to dark places.

Doubts that she had always had began to reemerge. Keara had always known that she was just a way to ease the drums, yet she had allowed herself to hope against all odds that he felt something more than that. It seemed not. After everything that had happened between the two of them, he still didn't care for her. She was just another prize that he had already claimed and tossed aside.

_ "You were just a challenge that lost its edge, leaving nothing but a broken mess."_

How true his words seemed to be. Because after everything was said and done, that's all she felt she was. A broken mess, a challenge less challenge. Nothing more than a fragile human left to her own devices. She should never have tried to change that, she told herself. She should have never left the comfort of her relatively normal life.

The Master watched her as she was lost in thought. It was insane. She looked better than he could ever remember. Her hair, longer than when he'd held her in his arms aboard the ship, danced against her pale skin. She had put on weight, something that suited her perfectly. Her body was starting to become healthy again. Though, as she turned away from him, he saw the marks running down her arms. Scars, interlocking in patterns he recognized from Silistra.

Six long, though narrow marks running down the length of her arm, obviously left by a blade. Everything about this hallucination seemed off. He'd never pictured her healthy, or with those scars. She had always been the same petite, fragile glass doll that he'd taken in the study.

The Master grabbed her wrist, unable to control himself. This was it. He was about to completely give up now. If he was going to give into the temptation of his insanity, he was going to thoroughly enjoy it. He pulled her flush against his chest, and she never made a noise of protest.

In truth, Keara wasn't really even aware of the Time Lord's actions. She was too wrapped up in her own self-pity. All her plans, all her dreams were crushed at the sudden realization that she had just experienced. There she was, being held by a man she should hate. She didn't question why she was being held, she didn't care. Her mind was full of a haze she had never felt before. It scared her, shook her to her very core.

This was the Master. A man who had hurt her so emotionally and physically that it felt like it was only yesterday. The scars on her back, the scars left by the Sabas' talons, seemed as fresh as ever. She could still feel the pain. Still had the nightmares. A pain that would never leave, never cease, never heal.

And yet, she was reminded of good things too. Like the long talks they'd had about her past. She had opened up to him like she had never opened up to anyone before. She was reminded of the nights she spent laying in bed with him, never so much as touching each other. Long before they'd become lovers, she had considered the Master her friend. He had treated her better than he treated most, she knew this.

But what did all of that mean? Had the Master taken pity on her? Shown her respect in face of her defiance? Was it because of the Quis? Or was it all about lust? The Master was a smart man. A genius, really. It was possible that all of that was supposed to turn into something devious, had he not been stopped by Sabas. Had she not been nearly killed.

Tears streamed down her face, she couldn't stop them. Keara jerked her hand away from the Master but he wouldn't allow it. She wrenched it away, thrashing violently against his touch but he wouldn't release her.

"Let me go," She sobbed, trying to shake away from him. She stood, wrist still encircled by the Master's possessive grip. "I'll leave. Just let me go..."

"Calm down, Quis," The Master snarled, pulling her closer against his chest. She didn't though, which only seemed to anger the Time Lord further. Unable to control himself, he slammed the woman against the nearest wall, knocking the wind from her lungs.

"Don't," She warned, though with labored breathing.

"Or what?" He mocked, running his hand over her taut body. "Will you hurt me, pet? Going to use the Quis against me again?"

"If I have to," Keara replied with no conviction in her voice. She had already done that to him once, she would never do it to him again. "Now release me so I can leave."

"Where would you go?" The Master questioned, letting his lips skim over her jaw line. "Back to your pathetic little life?"

"I thought I was a hallucination," She hissed and tried to shove his probing hands away. They locked to her hips, iron clad grips ensuring that she wasn't going anywhere. "_Let go!_"

"You are a hallucination," The Master mumbled against her skin. He was starting to believe she was the best hallucination he'd ever had. "You'll be gone soon enough."

"How can you say that?" Keara asked, a bitter and dry laugh escaping her. "Honestly, how can you believe that I'm not here?"

"You're never really here," He hissed, pulling away from her. His hands released her and he ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "Sooner or later, you always disappear."

"You've been having hallucination frequently?" She asked. All her anger was suddenly fading. She didn't know how to respond to that. The Master shrugged, turning to walk away. Keara followed silently behind as he made his way back the bed. Without so much as another word, the man threw himself onto the cot. She knew he wasn't going to be getting sleep anytime soon, not with the drums raging so violently.

Perhaps it was that same irrational, unrequited love, or maybe it was just because it had always been in her nature to comfort others when they were hurting. Whatever the reason, Keara felt herself pushing aside her anger, her need for answers, to focus squarely on the man before her.

So, she took a seat beside on the bed. The Master didn't even open his eyes to acknowledge her presence. Gingerly, she placed her hand on the Master's head and felt his pain surging through her. She closed her eyes tight as she fought for control of the drums. They quickly slipped into her control and the Master relaxed under her touch.

The drums pounded loudly, louder than she remembered. Her head began to swim with a warm, dull throb as the sound took hold of her. The muscles throughout her body seemed to ache and become insensitive all at once. Her mind only focused on the sound of that blaring, thunderous four beat inflection. Her attention was so centered on it that when the scars on her back began to burn once again, it took her by complete surprise.

Keara couldn't help but gasp, feeling a sharp jolt of physical pain shoot through her. She sat there a moment longer, letting the pain leave her slowly before another, larger wave hit her. She couldn't suppress her yelp of pain as she fisted the sheets beneath her. Her eyes wrenched shut and she bit at her lip and allowed the pain to pass.

Arms wrapped themselves around her and she welcomed the comforting hug. The Master held her tight, pulling her up so he could lift her to his chest. He cradled her gently against him. Under her ear, she could hear that double heartbeat. That comforting noise that seemed so much like the drums in his mind. So unlike her own hallowed heartbeat. She buried her face deeper against his chest, breathing in his familiar aroma.

_Oak, the rain, a soft hint of cinnamon._

She finally relaxed as the pain left her and suddenly the Master pulled away from her as he laid her back on the bed. Her eyes slowly opened and the Master stared down at her, his eyes untelling. She only managed a small smile, even though she wanted to convey so much more to the Time Lord.

He didn't return it. Instead, he shifted to the other side of the large, firm bed and laid beside her. She heard him sigh slightly, as if he didn't want to be there and the tears came back to her.

"What?" He demanded, propping himself on his elbow to look down at the woman. She gingerly shook her head back and forth, causing his eyes to narrow. She could feel the mix of confusion and anger rolling off of him. "What was that little show you just put on?"

"It's just some residual pain," Keara whispered. She couldn't meet her eyes with his. She knew the look he would receive. She closed her eyes to keep him from seeing the hurt in them. "It's over now. I'll be fine but sore."

"Residual pain from what?" He asked. She didn't respond, only fought the tears, trying to will them to stop before they could truly pick back up again. She felt the Master let his hand rest on her forehead and he whispered, "Don't fight it, Quis, or she'll hurt worse."

For the second time since meeting the Master, Keara felt his mind invading her own. She squirmed underneath his touch but her already tired body could do nothing to fight him away from the memories.

"_You have to stop fighting me. Let me fix you!" My son is screaming at me, begging me to let him continue._

_ "There's no antidote." How true those words are._

_ "The Quis will be able to use my blood to slow the poison to a halt. It's enough to subdue the poison." Dominus is crying, bleeding just to help me._

_ "You've saved me." My pride swells for my child._

_ "I've only saved you long enough for the Quis to adjust to the poison." Dominus voice sounds so scared. I only want to hold him, to help him through this._

_ "You're going to be in pain for the rest of your life. You'll be in pain and its all my fault!" His head is buried in my stomach, tears wetting my shirt, clinging for dear life._

_ "You're my son. My one and only son. Nothing you do could change that. Now or in fifty years, I'll always love you." My words are genuine, even if the pain inside is crippling._

_ Everyday is a little worse than the last. The Aquicum poison will never stop. Not until it finds a way to bypass the Quis. I am in pain. I hurt. Every movement is a chore. Every breath is labored. I force myself to smile. I force myself to live. I don't want to._

_ Its like everything is gray. There's nothing but pain. My heart aches. My son, who I love more than anything, was right. I'll be in pain forever. Not just the physical but emotional too._

_ I have lost everything. The pain is only a reminder of what used to bring me so much joy. I miss him. I love him. Both of them. Dominus and the Master. They're both lost to me and it kills me everyday. I don't want to live. All I want is to be free of all the pain._

_ Please, no more._

The Master jerked his hand away from her, and Keara inhaled sharply. Thankfully, the Quis had listened this time and decided not to fight back. She doubted that she could have handled the strain on her body as she had last time he had used his telepathy.

His lips took her by surprise. As his hand moved to cup her cheek, his lips pressed against hers deeply. It was so breath-takingly simple, it scared her. It was perfect, so soft and gentle. So different from the Master's usually possessive kiss.

Keara parted her lips against him, and he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. Again, something new. Him waiting for permission. His tongue rubbed against her as if to make sure it was even real. She pushed hers against his, touching and tasting and teasing him as much as she could.

Pulling her closer to him, the Master grabbed her waist. She smirked into the kiss, feeling their bodies so close together now. The heat of their skin mixing together and sending pleasure through them both.

The woman rose up, pushing the Master over on his back. He complied, not daring to fight against her weak body. Their lips moved together, never stopping even when it became hard to breathe. Her face was burning, his hands seared.

She could feel the need pouring off him. She could feel his arousal. He needed her as she needed him. She could see it on that face that was so unfamiliar and yet the same as it had always been.

Keara moaned against him, feeling his hardening length pressing against her. She wanted him. Just feeling him pressed against her, any thoughts of doubts or pain drifted away from her mind. The Master was the only thing that mattered.

Their kiss became more heated, the new founded tenderness tossed aside for now. In an instant, the Master had her on her back. He hadn't even broken the kiss as he pinned the much smaller woman beneath his body. Every time he moved against her, she felt closer to him. Each time he nipped at her lips, she felt further away from her troubles.

The Master pushed her shirt away, desperately trying to come into contact with skin. She helped him slip it over her shoulders and when it was finally tossed aside, she began pushing her slacks away as well. It wasn't long before only two small layers of clothes separated them, her knickers and his pants.

But the Master didn't seem to be in a rush to remove either article of clothing as he allowed his hands to roam over her pale skin. He was beginning to refamilarize himself with each curve. Keara bit her bottom lip, feeling irrationally self-conscious as he let his eyes dance over her body. She had plenty of scars left from Silistra and Sabas alike. Though her body had become healthy once more, she felt so much worse for the wear since their time together three years ago.

He seemed to notice her discomfort because he gave her a soft, almost reassuring smile. It was strange, but somehow made her feel completely better as he leaned down to kiss and bite at her collar bone.

Keara couldn't handle it anymore. She slid her hand down the length of his stomach and under the band of his boxers. She heard him groan as soon as her fingers brushed against his manhood. Slowly she uncurled her hand and gripped it, running her thumb over the head. The Master's hip bucked involuntarily and he groaned louder than ever. She picked up her pace, kissing him deeply.

"Keara," He moaned, letting his head rest against her shoulder. She smiled, watching him trembling over her as she teased his body. She couldn't see his face, but his body spoke volumes.

"I need you, Master," Keara whispered against his ear. He bucked harder this time, kissing her neck softly. "Please, Koschei."

Her plea seemed to rouse the Master as he pushed her hand away. In one quick motion, he pulled her underwear off before shoving his away too. He looked at her, locking his brown eyes with her greens as he aligned himself against her entrance. Quickly, too quickly, he buried himself inside her warmth.

She cried out in pain, feeling another wave of pain hit just as the Master had entered her. Instantly, the Time Lord stilled, watching her curiously as the pain rocked through her body.

"I'm sorry," He mumbled against her forehead. The Master laid a gentle kiss there before pulling away from her. Keara could see the genuine glow in his eyes.

"No," She said and grabbed his arm. The Master eyed her skeptically, his emotions seeming to swirl around. The pain wasn't close to leaving the woman but she forced a smile to her face as she watched the man. "Please don't leave. I'm alright now, really. I want you."

He nodded softly, pressing himself back into her. Keara gasped, trying to push the pain away from her thoughts, focusing solely on the feeling of the Master buried inside of her. The Master placed a passionate kiss on her lips which helped ease the discomfort.

His rhythm was like nothing she'd ever experienced before. It wasn't gentle, his pumps were far too rough for that. They weren't forceful, he seemed to know exactly when the pain was too much. Her quiet whimpers quickly gave way to long, drug out moans as each thrust felt like it was deeper and deeper inside her. The pain was leaving, replaced by all the pleasure of the universe as the Master continued to ravish her already bruised lips.

Soon, his thrusts became less controlled. His breathing became more shaky and Keara's did as well. She lifted her hips slightly, trying to match his trusts as best she could. Her chest heaved up and down, and her back arched with each pump. Both bodies were covered in a thin layer of sweat. Suddenly, she could feel the Master becoming rougher, harder, far more irregular than he had been.

Keara moaned, the noise bouncing off the walls of his room. Wave after wave of pleasure raced through her as she reached her orgasm. The Master groaned loudly as well, feeling her clenched around him. The sight and sense was too much for him to handle. His eyes clutched tightly, allowing himself to finally release inside.

He looked down at her as she lay there, on her back. For a moment she thought that he would speak. Instead, he buried his head into the crook of her neck as they both tried to gain control of their ragged breathing. Keara couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she felt his breath tickle her neck.

"Oh fuck, Keara," The Master began kissing her neck again. He wasn't finished with her, not by a long shot.

"Koschei!" She moaned as his fingers danced over her exposed flesh. The use of his old Gallifreyan name sent another wave of arousal through the Master, and soon he was kissing her again. Another hard, passionate kiss. He wasn't going to let her go. Not this time. She was his pet, his Quis... _My Keara_.

And he would indulge himself in her company as long as she would permit.

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**Author's Note:** I have to admit, I love writing these chapters. I think it's really important for the growth of my madwoman and genius' relationship... Is it weird that I was eating Fish Custard while writing this? I've just barely started with the next chapter but I think you will all love it dearly! And please, remember to **review**! I'm getting a bit discouraged over here...

**NEXT CHAPTER: **I'd Like To Go Home


	7. I'd Like To Go Home

**Obligatory Disclaimer:** Lets see. I do not own any of the _Doctor Who_ universe. Not its characters, or aliens, or planets. Nor its plot. I do use them to help the storyline along. I do, however, own Keara! She is my original companion so don't steal her. I also own a certain blonde, thirteen year old mentioned in this chapter.

**Quick A/N: **I am so very sorry for the lack of an update. I had a bit of a mental breakdown... I haven't answered any emails, PMs, Tumblr asks, Tweets, Rooster Teeth inboxes, or Facebook message for over a month now. I have literally been sitting around, feeling sorry for myself. I love you all so much and you have no idea... Having said that, this story has suffered and therefore I am going to be posting this chapter and one more today... I'm ending it. FOR NOW! I will come back in a little while with another story, if you are all still interested. Please let me know if you would like to read more about Keara and the Master via review.

This is important.

I mainly pushed this story to the back burner because of the lack of reviews. Please don't think this is any one person's fault (Writless, I'm talking to you, love. You have been my biggest inspiration... Pretty much ever!). I just really need some feedback before I decide to go ahead with another multichapter fanfiction.!

**Enjoy.**

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**Chapter Seven:**

_**I'd Like To Go Home**_

**Day four hundred and seventy-two.**

"Don't go in there!" Rory's back was pressed firmly against the door of the Zero Room. His face was as bright red as the jumper he wore. Amy gave him a quizzical look. Rory just made insane gestures with his hands. "Just trust me. You don't want to go in there. Its... Well, uh, its... they're sort of... well, you know."

"No, I don't know. But now I want to," Amy exclaimed, trying to move her husband out of the way of the door. The man refused to budge though, frozen mostly out of sheer embarrassment. "Rory! Get out of my-"

The Master's name is being moaned.

"Was that..."

"Yeah..."

The couple exchanged glances, Rory's face now pale and Amy's blood-red. Amy's face, however, was set in a wide smile that her husband didn't understand. The smile wasn't for him understand though. The woman knew enough about Keara and the Master's relationship to be thankful of the situation.

"Lunch?" Amy asked, her face still alight with a blush and a grin.

"I think that would be best-"

"Honey! We're home!" Jack's voice boomed from overhead, in the console room. Both Ponds could hear the excited chatter of the Captain and the Doctor as they made their way down the steps to the Zero Room.

"Since no one seems to be freaking out, I can only assume the Master is doing alright," The Doctor stated, only receiving a small nod from each of his companions. "Fantastic! Right then, time to regroup! I'll just pop in and have a quick word with him and then we can be off again-"

"That's not really such a good idea," Rory stated, back still securely against the entrance of the Zero Room.

"Course it is," The Doctor replied, attempting to move around Rory. When the roman didn't budge, the Doctor gave a hefty sigh. "Now look, we've got other planets and times to visit! Out of the way, Pond."

"I don't think you understand," He mumbled.

"Go ahead, Rory," Amy said, giving her husband a tug, "Let the Doctor see for himself."

Rory gave her a 'Are you mental?' look but complied anyhow. Amy's earlier grin had grown into a full-blown smirk as she watched the Doctor adjust his bow tie.

"Alright, Master. Lets have a look at this new-" But the Doctor's words failed him as he burst through the door, catching glimpses of the two bodies entangled there on the cot.

"Get out, you bloody git!" Keara's shrill voice was thick with embarrassment, causing both Ponds to laugh. Jack, who had been right behind the Doctor, stood absolutely still, enjoying the sight before him.

"I wanted a look at the new body, not front row seats!" The Doctor exclaimed, hands covering his eyes as he backed out of the room.

"I don't know, Doc. I kinda like the view," Jack stated, his cheeky smile never fading.

"Jack!" Keara roared, scrambling for the thin sheet on the bed. "Both of you! OUT!"

"Rule 26! No hanky-panky in the TARDIS!" The Doctor shouted in response, finally pushing Jack far enough back that he could shut the door to the Zero Room. Amy and Rory just stood there, both wearing a matching set of smug expressions. "Right... How about a cup of tea?"

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Keara sat there a moment longer, sheet pulled high above her chest, just staring at the door the Doctor had closed behind him. It was as if she were in shock, the blissful state she had just been in completely gone now.

_Did that... Did that really just happen? Amy... Rory... Jack... THE DOCTOR! Everyone just saw... _Everything!

With her shoulders slumped, the woman buried her head into her hands. Her face was lit up with a blush, only for different reasons then it had been just moments before.

"Well, that was annoying," The Master scoffed, pulling Keara close to him once more. A small scoff was all she could manage, feeling the Time Lord kissing the exposed flesh of her neck.

"Are you not the least bit embarrassed by this?" Keara sighed, pulling away to look at the man beside her. The Master just gave a shrug. He didn't seem fazed by the situation at all.

As she looked it at him, something shifted in her line of thinking. Perhaps it was because she had been so worried that the Master wouldn't wake up. Or perhaps it was because she had been so elated that he had awoken with no visible signs of distress.

Whatever reason it had been, Keara was just then noticing how different he looked than the brash, razor edged Master that normally looked at her. Though the look in his eyes still reminded her of the Master she knew, the physicality of the Time Lord was so much different.

His angular face was sharp, so much more so than the man she had fallen in love with. It was so defined, his cheekbones looking like it could cut her if she got too close. Charming is really an understatement, yet she couldn't find the exact words to describe this newest face. Even his body had changed.

She could feel her smile slipping, thinking back to the Master she had encountered on Silistra. How different that Master had been from either one she knew intimately! And that was what worried her the most. Because she had still felt irrationally attracted to that Master physically. The personality of that Master, however, had been so different.

Still cruel and dominate. That was just characteristics of the Master that would never leave, she reasoned. What scared her though was just how much crueler he had been towards her.

_Would this Master be as brutal? Is he going to just use me up and toss me aside? I can't do this again..._

"What's with the look?"

"Huh?" Keara's attention shifted once more, coming out of her own thoughts. The Master's face held a scowl, eyes narrowed at her. "Its nothing, really."

"It's never _nothing_ with you," He scoffed. "Women! Not five minutes after sex and I can already see those silly little insecurities dancing around your mind."

"They're not silly," Keara mumbled under breath. It angered her that the Master knew of her doubts, let alone thought to belittle them.

"They are."

"No, they aren't. Because I know you! I'm just waiting for you to grow bored of me. I've always been waiting for that moment," Keara stated forcefully, pulling her knees up to her chest. "And who's to say that this new regeneration doesn't have a shorter attention span? I mean, you grew bored of me fairly quickly on Silistra."

The look on the Master's face was enough to let Keara know that she shouldn't have let her anger get the best of her. Even with the help of the Quis, she couldn't determine of it was a look of torment or choler.

"You think I'm about to just give you up now that I've got my hands on you again?" The Master's tone was venomous, betraying his rage. "Not without considerable regret, pet. I don't regret anything. _Ever_."

"Master... I didn't mean..." But Keara was at a loss for words. She knew she should let the subject rest, but it may had been the only time for the conversation to be had. "What am I supposed to do then? Just push it out of my mind?"

"You could take the usual precautions... sticky tape on the windows, that sort of thing," The Master said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Would you shut up and just listen?!" Keara shouted, throwing her hands in the air in expiration. "I am trying to a conversation here that has needed to been had for a while now and you-"

"I am the Master-"

"So what? I'm Keara, and I can shout just as loud as you can!" Keara yelled, silencing the Time Lord. The silence between the two was thick. It was childish the way they were behaving. Of course, she thought, rows between the two had been much, much worse at times.

"Oh my dear Keara, you have been naïve," He finally break out with laughter. The woman just stared at him, trying to see what was so comical about any of what was happening.

"And just what the hell is so funny?" Keara demanded, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"You don't see it, do you?" The Master asked, watching her closely. "Dear Rassilon! You are thick sometimes. If I thought I would grow bored of you, I wouldn't have even bothered, and I certainly wouldn't have protected you as long as I did."

"You just wanted to protect what was yours," Keara said.

"Yeah, and me sitting on that fucking ship while it was getting ready to implode when I could have escaped _easily_ was all to make sure no one touched my toy," The Master retorted, climbing off the bed and retrieving his clothes from the floor. "Great use of logic there, pet."

"You just wanted the drumming to stop," Keara whispered, watched him as he redressed himself, gnawing at her bottom lip. He was mad, even though his body language didn't show. The Master didn't like being doubted.

"The drumming," He repeated as he began to drum his fingers on the table beside them. "You hear it. I thought it would stop but it never does. Never, ever stops. Inside my head, the drumming. The constant drumming. But you... You're the only thing that can ease them."

"That's why you need me," She mumbled, looking anywhere but at the man in front of her. Tears were already starting to form.

"If you believe that, Keara," The Master began after a long moment of silence, "You are so much more daft than I thought."

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Keara tried not to put anymore thought into the conversation she had shared with the Master. The Time Lord seemed content enough to pretend it hadn't taken place, and she didn't want to think of the consequences of his words. What they might truly mean.

The Quis and the Time Lord made their way into the console room, seeing the others already gathered there. The woman tried not to let her embarrassment get to her.

"Ah, you two are all sorted then! Good, you can help up choose our next stop!" Keara heard the Doctor say as she and the Master entered, "How about 1963. What a year!"

"That the year you bought that outfit, then?" Amy laughed, watching the Doctor fidget with his bow tie.

"You know, we can go see the Beatles play in 1963," The Doctor stated, choosing to ignore another one of Amy's jab at his fashion sense. "But the Ice Age is only a click away on the dial so we need to be careful."

"Can I meet John Lennon?" Amy asked.

"Why doesn't anybody ever want to meet Ringo?" The Doctor sulked.

"There's no such thing as a sexy drummer," Amy replied.

"I beg to differ," Jack quickly added.

" So 1963? The Beatles' first two albums. Sean Connery as James Bond, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, Mary Quant, John Steed and Cathy Gale. Right now, out there London is the coolest place not just on Earth, but the whole galaxy!"

"We really need to be getting back, Doctor," Amy added, just a little more than disappointed. "My mum's throwing a dinner party. I promised we'd actually attend this one. Cant lie to her a fourth time."

"Fine then," The Doctor replied with a frown. "We'll just swing by and drop you two off for a while. Then we can go to Cardiff for some fish and chips! Keara, you can-"

"Actually, Doctor, I'd like to go home," Keara interrupted quietly. All eyes in the room seemed to sweep over her, the Master's gaze being the most surprised.

"Y-you don't want to travel with us?" The Doctor asked incredulously.

"What? Oh, no! That isn't what I meant," Keara laughed, running her hand through her long tresses. "I just meant if you could dump me off at my flat before dropping of Amy and Rory, I'd appreciate it. I should probably gather up a few things before running all over the Universe in a bloody box."

"Ah! Right then," The Time Lord replied with more of a smile this time. The look of relief on the Master's face hadn't gone missed to the other Time Lord. "Still living across from the park, I assume?"

Keara gave a nod of agreement as she watched the Doctor sprint about the console, flicking nobs and pressing buttons. She watched in amusement as the man ran about instructing Jack and Amy to help occasionally.

"What are we getting at your apartment?" The Master whispered against her ear, coming up to stand behind the smaller woman. She jumped slightly, startled by his sudden appearance so close to herself.

"_We_?" Keara stressed. The Master's eye twitched slightly, earning a grin. "Really though... You don't have to tag along. I'm just going to grab some clothes and mundane things. Boring, really."

"I'm not letting you out of my sight," The Master stated. "You seem to attract trouble."

"I do not," She retorted forcefully. But the look she received was one of skepticism. Giving a heavy sigh, she throw her hands up in defeat.

The TARDIS groaned loudly, making its telltale noise of dematerializing. It jerked suddenly, though not enough to send its passengers flying. Keara, however, stumbled slightly backwards and bumped into the Master hard enough to earn an "Oomph!"

"Sorry," She mumbled, feeling a blush spread over her face. The Time Lord's arms were wrapped securely around her waist, trying his best to hold the woman up.

"You can't even stand on your own two feet," The Master chuckled, "And you want me to leave you to pack on your own?"

"Oh ha ha," She retorted with a roll of her eyes. The Master gave her a push, unwrapping himself from her small frame. There was something uneasy in the way that he did so, though Keara couldn't pinpoint what exactly.

"I need to grab something before we go," The Master said, low enough that only he and Keara could hear the words. Again, there was something precarious in his gaze. The woman only responded with a curt nod.

The TARDIS grumbled low, a long drug out 'vwoooorp' signaling that they had finally landed as she watched the Master turn round one of the ship's corridors. Looking back up to the Doctor, she caught the gleam in his ancient eyes.

"Little, mad Keara Ashland," He mumbled, looking her over quickly. She could see the smile on his face and on the other's as well. "I'll be back first thing in the morning. Be sure to wear something comfortable because we have an awful lot of running to do."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Doctor," Keara answered, feeling oddly excited about the very idea of running around with this madman.

"It's so good to see you alive," Amy gushed as she hugged the woman opposite her. Keara returned it with equal force. "Don't be a stranger! I expect you over Christmas dinner."

"Of course," Keara pulled away from the hug and looked towards Rory. "It was good meeting you, really. Sorry you had to see... Well, you know."

"Oh, oh... Yeah... No, its fine. Seen worse," Rory replied, though with little conviction.

"And, you Captain Jack Hark-"

"I'll be here in the morning," Jack scoffed giving her a hug, letting his hands dip a little lower than appropriate. "I'm not about to pass up a chance to spend a little bit more time with you, Black."

"Alright," They heard a stern voice call. The Master came up beside the two, pushing Jack's hands away from Keara's bum. "Hands to yourself, freak."

"We're ready to go then?" The woman ask flatly, trying her best to ignore the man's jab at her friend.

"Whenever you're ready, pet," The Master replied, buttoning the last few buttons on his coat. The Doctor stood waiting by the doors of the TARDIS, watching as Keara and the Master – Mostly Keara – said one last goodbye to the others, making promise of visits. He smiled, seeing the protective hand placed at the small of Keara's back. Perhaps, the Doctor thought, just perhaps the Master might actually be able to make this all work for him. Maybe he could even find some small form of happiness after all this time.

"I'll see you in the morning," The Doctor promised. Keara gave him a quick hug, before stepping out into the ice-cold night air of Cambridge. The Master made to follow, not bothering to wish the other man farewell, but a hand stopped him. "I feel like I should apologize. If I had known..."

"Don't," The Master cut him off. "You and I both know that if I hadn't destroyed my original laser screwdriver in a fit of anger, I would have noticed she was alive a long time ago."

"Are you actually taking the blame for this?" The Doctor laughed. "I didn't think you'd let me off that easily!"

"Oh no you don't," The Master replied. "I just don't want to start this fight yet. We have _plenty _of time for that later, you tosser."

"Oi," Both men heard Keara call. They turned to look at her, seeing her frame trembling from the cold. "Not that this bromance isn't cute but a leather jacket is not enough to fight off this cold weather!"

"Coming, darling," The Master chuckled, sarcasm rolling off in droves. Keara gave a small smirk, watching the doors of the TARDIS close behind the Master and that all too familiar vwoorping noise started up once more.

The couple stood there, the snow falling all around them and watched the TARDIS vanish out of sight. All that stood there before them now was Keara's tall apartment building. It was odd, seeing this normal fixture in her life right in front of someone who she had so desperately wanted to be a fixture as well.

"Did you miss me?" She had whispered the words as soon as the thought popped into her head. Any other time, Keara was sure that she would feel foolish for asking such a question. But at the moment, she didn't rightly care.

The Master looked closely at the woman beside him. Her attention was fixated on the ten story building in front of her, eyes seeing much further than that. How was he supposed to respond to that, he wondered. He knew how he was _expected_ to respond. But was that how he wanted to?

"Yes," He finally answered, having decided that the short, but honest answer was probably the safest bet.

Keara chuckled to herself, dropping her gaze to the ground. She wasn't really sure what she had wanted to hear. It was a comforting enough thought to know that he had in fact missed her.

_Or he at least missed the Quis._

"We should go in before one of us dies from hypothermia," Keara mumbled, brushing her fingers against the Master's. His were much warmer than her own. "I'm guessing it wont be you."

But the Master grabbed at her cold hand, pulling her against him quickly. Keara gasped, nearly loosing her footing on the icy ground below her. The brown eyes of the Master stared down at her, a sly, mischievous smile dancing about his features.

"Did you miss me?" He repeated her words, his lips skimming against the exposed flesh of her neck. Keara let out a strangled gasp that barely sounded like a yes. "Did you pine for me, pet? Cry over me?"

"Yes..."

"Say my name," He hissed before biting down on the sensitive area where her neck and shoulder met.

"Master!" She yelped, digging her slim hands into his new mop of curls. His mouth traveled back up and found her lips once more. Oh, how he had missed this! Hearing her desperate and excited gasps!

He could feel her jaw begin to quake under his kiss, and it slowly dawned on him that she was freezing. He pulled back first, looking into her green eyes. They hadn't changed. She was still his.

"I suppose we should go someplace to warm you up," He stated, his tone becoming devious. The Master had ways of warming her up. He had so many ways.

"Come on," Her voice was laced with urgency, but she didn't know if it was an urgancy to get out of the cold, or to be with him. No, she did know. But she would never admit it aloud.

Silently, urgently she lead him past the front doors towards the elevator that would lead to her eighth story flat. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered if she _should_ take him back there. If she shouldnt simply leave him in the snow, as he had left her alone. As much as it seemed right, she knew her need was too great. She had to have him.

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"I can pack on my own, Master," Keara protested as she watched the Time Lord throw countless items into the suitcase. Most were things she would have never grabbed herself, things that seemed unimportant to bring along in the TARDIS. The Master shoved every piece of clothing he could get his hands on, so much so that when he had finished he had to sit on top of the bag just to close it.

He didn't respond though, instead pulling out another duffel bag from underneath the woman's bed and pushing past her towards the other parts of her flat. Keara gave a loud huff, following him silently. There seemed to be no reasoning with him when he had his mind set on something.

The direction he took caught her off guard. He bypassed the many trinkets in her sitting room and headed straight for the kitchen. Raiding her cabinets, grabbing any thing he could. Canned beans and vegetables, soups, crackers, _anything_ that seemed to fit into the bag. But only the things that she had that wouldn't expire quickly, Keara noted.

"You know, the TARDIS has a kitchen. There's no reason to be taking all of this," Keara mentioned, already knowing the response she would receive. None that is. The Master continued as if he hadn't even heard the woman.

It was then that something clicked into place. Something that should have troubled her but instead sent a shiver of excitement through her. She watched the Master carefully organize the bag, grabbing for more of her food supplies.

"We're not returning to the TARDIS, are we?" She asked, watching the Master grow suddenly still as he heard her question. He glanced up from the duffel bag, locking eyes with the woman in front of him. Keara couldn't help but bit her lip when she saw the expression in his eyes.

_Determination._

"No, we're not," The Master replied, returning to the task at hand.

"Why the Hell not?" She demanded, sounding slightly more angry than she had meant to. "Where are we going to go, Master? I don't have a car, and I don't really have that much money in my savings. We can't just run away."

"We're not running away, pet," The man replied causally. Keara let out a scoff, rolling her eyes even though the Master couldn't see.

"Then what are we doing? Because it seems like we're just packing up and talking a long walk in a random direction," Her voice was steady as she watched the man not even acknowledge her statement. It was silent for a long moment, making her all the more excited and angry. "Master! Tell me you at least have a plan!"

The Time Lord sighed, slamming the bag full of canned goods down on the table beside them. He looked up at her, a frown etched into his features. Silently, he began to unbutton the coat he had refused to take off earlier, slipping his arms out of the sleeves. It was only then that she noticed the clunky black device strapped to his wrist.

"That's a Vortex Manipulator!" Keara gasped as she stared wide-eyed at his wrist.

"I'm not losing you a second time," The Master said, ignoring her curious expression. He took a step closer to her, towering over her by a head. Even with the new body he was taller than her, even more so yet. His hand lifted, brushing a strand of hair away from her line of vision. "Trouble always finds the Doctor, and I can't risk it again."

"I'm a big girl. Besides, I believe it was trouble that found _you_ last time." She scoffed, glancing down at the floor.

The Master was quiet for a moment, troubled slightly by the truth of her words. It had been Lucy hunting for him. It had been his reckless need to find the Doctor that had caused them to be captured by the monster Sabas.

"You're right," The Master whispered, causing Keara's focus to shoot up to his face. His hand came to rest on her shoulder, gripping it tighter than proper. "But you see, I really don't care. You're mine and I'm very, _very_ possessive with my toys."

"I'm not some toy," Keara cringed, feeling the grip tightening on her shoulder. The Master's eyes were locked with her own now and she refused to back down. "You're going to have to learn that if I'm going to stay with you."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," She retorted, pushing the hand away from her shoulder. "I'm not playing the role of Quis this time. I'm not just going to be someone you bring along to take away your pain. I'm not a bottle of aspirin."

"Still decisive as ever, aren't you?" The Master hissed through gritted teeth.

"Yes, and things are going to have to be different this time around," Keara stated, swallowing the lump in her throat. The Master watched her carefully, the weak shake in her hands not going unnoticed. She honestly looked terrified, though not of him. Perhaps of what his answer would be, he mused.

The Master turned away, going back to gather up the supplies that they would need on their journey. He smiled, feeling the anxiety the woman behind him was giving off. He had missed he presence indeed.

"I thought you were smart enough to see that it is different this time. I guess I was wrong about your level of intelligence," The Master commented, zipping up the bag and slinging it over his shoulder. Glancing back, he noticed that the though the shakes hadn't stopped, her face seemed brighter at his words.

"Y-you mean you're not going to treat me like you did last time?" Keara asked shakily. The Master smiled, taking several long strides towards her. He leaned down and placed a powerful, possessive kiss on her tender lips. One that would leave a bruise, most likely.

"You should probably go find that bear," He whispered, pulling back only a fraction. There was a bit of confusion in Keara's eyes which caused him to chuckle. "Dominus' bear."

Keara's face seemed to light up, a smile spreading from ear to ear before she turned on her heel and dashed from the room. The Master stood there a moment longer as he watched her sprint towards the bedroom. The silence around him was just a small reminder of way he needed her. That smile however, that was what his mind was clinging to. That was what he wanted.

Following the path that she had taken, he wondered into the bedroom as well. He watched as the petite woman withdrew a small foot locker from beneath her bed and dialed the combination on the lock. Slowly, she rummaged through the box and drew out a teddy bear that looked much better than the one that Dominus had carried. Keara stared at it for a long moment before looking up at the Master with unshed tears in her dark-green eyes.

"Ready to travel the universe?" He mumbled, coming to help the woman to her feet. Keara smiled brightly as she wrapped her arms around the Master's neck.

"Definitely."

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**NEXT CHAPTER:** Peace From His Drums


	8. Peace From His Drums

**Obligatory Disclaimer: **Of course I don't own anything, gits. Ehehe, enjoy my original character though! Keara is all mine!

**Enjoy.**

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**Chapter Eight:  
_ Peace From His Drums_**

**Day one thousand, two hundred and eighty-one.**

_"Ready to travel the universe?"_

_"__Definitely__."_

The Master was already beginning to regret that damn conversation. Keara was a bloody nightmare to travel with! She was a complete tosser and it infuriated the Master to no end just how annoying the woman could be.

This wasn't because Keara was ignorant. In fact, the Master had easily taught her the basic vortex manipulator functions and what to do in emergency situations quicker than he thought possible. It wasn't because she was clingy. It seemed the woman tended to know the exact moments when the Master needed his space and when he needed companionship.

She wasn't a tosser because of her conversational skills. The truth was, the Master had actually found it easy to speak with her, despite the dawning truth that she tended to ramble worse than the Doctor's newest form. Her annoyance didn't spawn from her mere presence. He quite enjoyed it actually, and she always seemed up for anything the Master was.

The Master thought her a tosser for other reasons.

Reasons that the Master would never admit aloud. Reasons pertaining to "bedroom matters" as she had so childishly referred to it as. Like how it seemed that every time he turned around, there was Keara in nothing but her knickers and a cocky smirk.

"More like bedroom, kitchen, shower, dinning room, kitchen _again_, and back to bedroom matters," The Master grumbled to himself. Not that he was complaining really. It just made things rather difficult when it came to trying to plot their course or ruling the universe.

They'd been traveling nearly six months together. Just Keara and the Master. They'd planned dozens of trips to various planets, to dozens of times periods. Still they hadn't reached a single one. It seemed Keara couldn't be bothered with trivial facts like universal domination just yet.

The Master had decided that morning that it was time to stop playing around and get down to business. After Keara had eaten her breakfast, they would pick a bloody planet and start planning its downfall. Drums or no drums, he was ready to get back to work.

The Time Lord cringed slightly, thinking about the drums. Sure, Keara kept them at bay. Yes, the only time they seemed to sound was when she lost concentration. Of course, he didn't miss them for one second.

Yet, he wished he still had them. You see, Keara had become very well in tuned with her Quis as of late. If she was not with the Master, she was studying every ounce of information she could manage to gather up on the parasite. She had promised that she would find away to relieve the drums.

And she had.

There wasn't even the faintest echo in the Master's mind as he sat down to his plate of food, glancing about the room that they were renting. The woman wasn't even awake yet his drums were gone. His world was filled with silence and for the first time since he was eight, he felt content with his lot in life.

Even with all his happiness, it killed him to see her in such pain. She had taken his drums from him and made them her own. The drums didn't pulse wildly in _his _mind. They pounded viciously in _hers_.

When she didn't think he was watching, he noticed her fingers. They would tap that same four beat tattoo that his used to. Sometimes, he would catch that same wild look in her eyes that he'd seen in his so many times before. The Quis had his drums, and Keara had his insanity.

He sighed heavily, suddenly feeling his appetite leave him. Just the thought of her feeling the way he had for so many centuries was haunting. That, coupled with the physical pain left behind by the Aquincum's Scar was slowly killing her.

Keara had never been very thick. Even when the Master had first laid eyes on her, she couldn't have weighed more than a 50 kilograms. At her skinniest, he would have guessed she was around 36 or 40.

Now she had seemed to settle close to 45 kilograms. Not the worst weight, but it worried the Master. He was having to force her to finish meals, she kept saying she just simply wasn't hungry.

He had felt that before. The drums drove away any desire to eat. They didn't want him to sleep. All the sought was destruction and death. Both things Keara would never give them. And the drums would scream and yell at her for that, for showing any form of weakness.

"When are you going to treat me to some alien breakfast?" Keara's voice interrupted the Master's thoughts. He glanced over, seeing the woman take her seat next to him. "Not that I don't enjoy bacon! It's just I've lived off it for thirty some years. Would be nice if I could get some of that narne stuff you were telling me about."

The Master shrugged. It didn't escape his notice that she hadn't fetched a plate for herself. Or that she had chosen that particularly short nighty to distract him from said fact.

He watched her closely as she stared blankly across the their lodge's small kitchen. Her legs tucked underneath her and worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. The Master suddenly felt a spark of anger.

"You aren't eating again, I see," The Master hissed, stabbing one of his sausage links. He bit into the link more harshly than necessary. Keara just shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself. "Fine. See if I care when you die of starvation because you wont eat. I wont, you know."

"You'd miss me," She replied with a cocky grin, leaning in closer so the Master could get a full view of her cleavage. No, he thought, it wasn't going to work on him this time. _Not again!_

"I sat a plate out for you," He stated. Keara raised an eyebrow and he smirked. "I expect you to eat some eggs, at least."

"Or what?" She sneered. The Master let out a chuckle.

"Or else," He mocked. It was Keara's turn to laugh. It rang out in the small room, and carried throughout the rest of the room. The Master smiled. He'd heard that laughter less frequently and it bothered him much more than it should have.

Keara stood slowly, and clumsily made her way over to where the Master had set her food. It took her a moment to get her footing, to even herself out. The Master scowled.

"Are you hurting today?" He asked casually, taking another large bite of his own food.

"Slightly," Keara gasped, feeling a sharp jolt of pain shoot through her. She stood there a moment longer, letting the pain leave her slowly before finally grabbing her food and settling back down at the table.

The two sat in silence for a while. It wasn't awkward. It never was. The Master wanted to talk to her about her pain but he knew she was too prideful to ever admit just how badly she was hurt.

Again, the Master watched her closely. She assumed he wasn't. He took note of the subtle tremors that passed through her due to the pain. He could see her finger trembling, gently tapping out a ghost-beat of that haunting rhythm. Her face looked pale, and the Master wondered how she'd slept the night before.

Keara looked worn out. Suddenly, any plans the Master had formed for himself were tossed aside for another day. Today, he was going to take care of his pet.

For a moment, he let his mind wonder the possibilities. There had to a place in the universe where he could take her. To show her just how much she meant to him. He still didn't want to think about how much that really was but he still felt he _should_ show her.

An image popped in the Master's mind. A planet he hadn't been to in nearly two centuries. The very first planet he had ever been to outside Gallifrey. His favorite place in the universe. A place even Ailla hadn't known about.

"I've been thinking," The Time Lord spoke, breaking Keara out of her trance. She glanced up at him, green eyes lingering over his face. The Master wasn't used to comforting others, but he was going to try. "We haven't stepped off this planet in a while. How about a trip?"

"A trip?" She chuckled as she shook her head. "The last time I took a trip with a Time Lord, I ended up on a tiny, cold planet where I was nearly killed by a crazy werewolf prince! Not sure I trust you lot."

"I'm serious," The Master rolled his eyes.

"Really?" Keara eyed the man skeptically. It wasn't that she didn't trust the Master, it just seemed... off for him to offer something like that. When she saw him nod, she spoke again. "Alright, but where?"

"Don't worry about that," He replied, standing up from the table. The Master leaned down and placed a quick peck on Keara's soft lips. She didn't have a chance to return it before he had already started to walk off. Keara stood to follow, devious thoughts rising up in her but the Master stopped her by shouting, "And don't even think about leaving without eating those bloody eggs!"

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Keara took a deep breath, trying to steady out her nerves. She couldn't believe what was happening. She couldn't help the cold chill from running down her spine. It was all too much for her. And it scared her deep down inside of her heart.

She was on Karass Don Slava. In the Candle Meadow, no less! Her mind was spinning with the very thought of being there. Being there with _him_.

Though she would never tell the Master, she knew just how important this place was to him. After all, she had seen his memories. The bad as well as the good. And the Candle Meadows were defiantly a painful but grand memory.

Above her, the sky crackled with thunder, belonging to no cloud in particular. The clouds burned a golden brown with deep streams of crimson and gold. There were specks of blue scattered amongst it, daring to burst free. In the distance, Keara could see the sun dipping below the horizon. Its beautiful blood-red outline only enhanced the already breath-taking landscape.

All around the woman were flowers and knee-high grass. In the fading sunlight, she was beginning to realize why they called it Candle Meadow.

The flowers that lined the ground beneath seemed to spring to life all on their own. Blossoming roses and lilies sprung forth, and in the center of each was an indiscernible shout for attention and a source of light that warmed the young woman deep inside.

Floating in the wind were specks of dust that seemed to bounce the light off of them and spread the glow throughout the field. Small insects flowed on the breeze, bring a new light of their own. They reminded Keara of fireflies, only a thousand times more beautiful.

As the sun become more content to leave and night grew around them, the skies began to shimmer with new-found strength. The gold and reds of the day gave way to the blues and violets of the night sky. The light spurting from the ground seemed to make the stars brighter, and they appeared so close that Keara imagined she could reach up and touch them.

"It's absolutely amazing," Keara could barely breath as she took in the sights around her. Never had she seen something so breath-taking. Never had she imagined sharing it with someone like the Master.

"I liked it," The Master shrugged, trying to be nonchalant about things. In truth, he was more than relieved to see the woman so enthused by the meadow. Just having her there, with him, was enough to make both his hearts leap, though from joy or worry he didn't know.

The Master watched his mate closely, enjoying the look of pure delight on her warm face. _How have I lived so long without that face?_ he wondered for a moment before shaking the thought from his head.

It was starting to worry him. He really was becoming soft in his old age. Sure, at nine hundred and fourteen he was barely considered middle-aged by Time Lord standards. But it didn't change the fact that he was loosing sleep over this subject.

The Master was beginning to care for his pet. Actually, he was beyond caring for her. He wanted to protect her, wanted to take away her pain as she had done for him. He just wanted to be with Keara until his last life was gone and his last breath spent.

The thought scared him deeply.

Keara paused her observations of the meadow to study the Master. He seemed distant all of a sudden. As if he were off on another planet or in another time.

It had meant the world to her that he would bring her to Candle Meadow but now she wondered if it had been a good idea. Keara knew the Master's past with the planet. Knew just how ashamed he was of his connection with it.

_How many nights had he fallen asleep among the psychic pollen?_ she mused. How many times had it brought him peace from his drums? She smiled a wide grin when he glanced up to meet her gaze. She was proud. Proud because she was what brought him peace from his drums now.

The Master took several steps towards her, bumping against the flowers beneath his feet. Pollen floated up and added to the specks that already danced among the sky. It only added to the shimmer of the night. The psychic pollen did its job, acting as a mind numbing agent for both the Time Lord and his Quis.

He slowly bent his head down and closed the gap between his lips and hers. His tall frame towered over her, dominating her just as he loved to do. Everything about the situation suddenly seemed right. Everything between them _was_ right.

Her hands wrapped around his neck and she pulled him down, arching into his chest. His hands rested on her hips. They stayed the for as long as they could, both unwilling to be the first to break away for air.

They stood there several minutes, lips moving against each other, tongues wrestling. Neither wanted it to end. Yet both were scared of this, of becoming close to one another.

For Keara, it was the doubts that always grabbed at her. She knew she loved him. With every bit of her heart she loved him. There was no doubt in that. But what she did doubt was if he returned the feelings. The Master was a genius. He knew how to manipulate. If it got rid of the drums, who was to say the Time Lord wouldn't lie to her?

For the Master, it was just the mere thought of letting someone so close. He knew that he cared for her. His hearts ached when she was hurt. But he didn't think he could admit feeling something more, even to himself. He didn't _want _to admit anything more! Love was an emotion for the weak. Ailla had proved that.

The Master groaned against her lips. There he went again! It angered him every time he thought of that bloody woman. It was unfair to compare Keara to her. They were nothing alike. He cared for Keara with a passion that outshone Allia by light years! To the point where his hearts held no emotion what so ever for the later; neither contempt or love. Why should a woman who was long since dead control his life now?

Keara pulled away to stare into the Master's eyes. She had felt the shift in his emotions. What had started out as a brilliant snog, had turned into him becoming angry. She didn't understand.

"I'm sorry," She whispered, assuming she had done something to upset the man. The Master looked down at her, seeing the tears pool in her eyes.

"For what?" He tried to soften his voice but he still caught the uneasiness that sat there. He lifted his hand to stroke the woman's cheek and she curved into his touch.

"Not really sure," She admitted, letting her eyes shut. She didn't have a chance to see the Master narrow his eyes.

"But you apologized," The Master scoffed.

"Well, you got mad all of a sudden," She shrugged, not bothering to open her eyes. She was afraid the tears would spill if she opened them. She heard the Master laughed, though it sounded forced.

"Just shut up," He mumbled before pulling at her hand. She let her eyes open slightly and allowed the Master to pull her along. His rough hand felt warm against her smooth skin. She was in heaven when he touched her.

They walked a kilometer or so until they came across a clearing devoid of any flowers or high grass and the Master plopped himself into the middle. Keara nearly fell onto his lap when he jerked at her arm. She playfully slapped his arm before settling back against his chest.

Both sat there in silence for quite some time. Again, it was never awkward. They both enjoyed the comfort the other one brought. They both enjoyed each other for the longest time.

The Master enjoyed the silence and the feeling of his arms wrapped around Keara's small frame. While Keara enjoyed the warmth of his skin pressed against her back and the tingle of his breath as he whispered into her ear or nibbled at her flesh.

"Thank you," She finally whispered, feeling the full effects of the psychic pollen as her eyelids began to grow heavy.

"For what?" The Master replied. He knew she was slipping away from him. He could feel just how relaxed her body was. This was why he'd brought her to the Candle Meadows. To share his comfort with her.

"This entire little trip," She mumbled. Her mind felt hazy, yet everything felt so good. Her eyes were closed and she was almost asleep but she could still feel the Master stoking her arms. "This has been one of the most perfect afternoons I've ever had."

"Trips not over yet," He whispered softly into her ear. "I've still got to get you that _alien_ breakfast I promised."

But Keara had already drifted off into a dreamless, blissful sleep, tucked away in the Master's arms.

───────────────┤_Simul_├───────────────

**To Be Continued...**


End file.
